Back from Pak, Sidhu brushes aside criticism

Tribune News Service

Attari, August 19

Tourism Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu on Sunday returned from Pakistan after attending the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister Imran Khan in Islamabad.

Though the visit was approved by the Centre, it evoked strong reactions from various quarters.

Sidhu even faced a protest outside the Integrated Check Post (ICP) at Attari. Activists of “Pagri Sambhal Jatta”, carrying anti-Sidhu placards, showed black flags to the minister’s cavalcade.

He tried to pacify his critics by saying that Imran Khan intended to improve ties between India and Pakistan and “has pledged to take two steps if India takes one”.

“Now the need is to take that one step convincingly. The decisions are made at the government level. I was just an invitee in my personal capacity, but I have retunred loaded with love and warmth,” he said.

What had offended some back home was his preference of attending Khan’s oath-taking ceremony over the last rites of his “political mentor” and former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. He also drew flak for hugging Pakistan’s Army chief Omar Javed Bajwa and sharing seat next to PoK president Masood Khan.

Clarifying his stance, Sidhu said: “When the General walked down to greet me, a brief conversation started on a lighter note. He said to me, ‘Navjot, we want peace’. Then on his own, he cited a proposal to open the corridor leading to Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib on the occasion of 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev. It is a four-decade-long demand. How could have I reacted to it in a better way other than giving him a hug,” he said.

On sharing seat next to the PoK president, he said: “I was sitting with another Indian friend of Khan Sahib when the protocol official asked me to take a seat in the front row. I just abided by it as it was an official function. Many Pakistan dignitaries were sitting there whom I did not recognise. The PoK president was among them. What is the point of giving it a political colour?” he said.

The Congress had on Saturday defended Sidhu’s Pakistan visit, calling it a step in the right direction.

PPCCchief Sunil Jakhar had said: “Sidhu has shown sportsmanship by accepting the invitation from Imran Khan. The ball is now in the latter’s court, whether he can reciprocate the gesture and show he’s his own person and not a Pakistan Army proxy.”