KARTARPUR: Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday said if Punjab Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu contests elections in Pakistan, he will win. He also ridiculed the criticism that Sidhu faced for his visit to Pakistan in August.
"I heard there was a lot of criticism of Sidhu when he went back after my oath-taking ceremony. I don't know why was he criticised. He was just talking about peace and brotherhood. He can come and contest election here in Pakistan's Punjab, he'll win," Khan said while speaking at the ground-breaking ceremony of the Kararpur corridor in Pakistan.
#WATCH Pakistan PM Imran Khan: I don't know why was Sidhu criticised (in India). He was just talking about peace. He can come and contest election here in Pakistan, he'll win. I hope we don't have to wait for Sidhu to become Indian PM for everlasting friendship b/w our nations. pic.twitter.com/yPdWCJDYAr
— ANI (@ANI) November 28, 2018
Khan also added that Pakistan wants to mend ties with India. "If India takes one step forward then we will take two steps forward toward friendship. I the prime minister, my political party, the rest of our political parties, our army, all our institutions are all on one page. We want to move forward," Khan said. (Read full report here)
The fondness that Imran Khan showed was not one-sided as his 'friend' Sidhu also heaped praises for the Pakistan Prime Minister. In his inimitable style, Sidhu took to poetry to express his gratitude to Imran for giving his nod to the Kartarpur Corridor. "Mera yaar, dildaar, Imran Khan," he said adding that his "big hearted" friend has kept his promise and ended 70 years of wait for the corridor.
"The Kartarpur Spirit can make pilgrims of us all, venturing out on a journey that breaks the barriers of history and opens the borders of the heart and the mind. A journey that our people can walk together towards, a future of shared peace and prosperity for India and Pakistan," he said ahead of the ceremony.
He added that there had been enough bad blood and that the corridor would be a major opportunity to open the doors of the hearts of the people. "Violence must stop and peace should return to the region," he said. Sidhu said that if the borders between both countries opened, it would be possible to transport goods to different parts of Pakistan and even others countries.
"This is my hope, this is my dream ... While there is blood in my veins, I will continue to thank both governments," he said. "My father used to tell me that Punjab Mail went till Lahore, I believe that it can go further till Peshawar, till Afghanistan," he said.
