Pakistan’s new PM Imran Khan said, ‘I want to thank Sidhu for coming to Pakistan for my oath taking.
Punjab Cabinet minister Navjot Singh Sidhu’s hug to Pakistan Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa in Islamabad has raised political temperature in the state, with differences emerging even within the ruling Congress.
A section within the Congress is supporting Mr Sidhu despite chief minister Amarinder Singh criticising the hug as “avoidable”.
Sources said the cricketer-turned-politician faced one bouncer after another at the first Cabinet meeting he attended, after his controversial hug on August 18 at the swearing-in ceremony of new Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan.
Sensing political trouble early, the chief minister had distance himself from Mr Sidhu’s controversial hug but Punjab Congress chief Sunil Jakhar has defended Mr Sidhu, saying that there was nothing wrong in his gesture.
The incident has also divided political parties in Punjab. While the AAP has backed Mr Sidhu, Shriomani Akali dal has criticised Sidhu for hurting the sentiments of Armymen killed by Pakistan Army.
Mr Sidhu has taken pains to clarify that hugging Gen. Bajwa was an “emotional response” on learning that Sikh pilgrims may now be allowed to visit the Kartarpur shrine across the border.
“Should I have turned my back on him?” he asked, adding that his response was just a spontaneous “human reaction”.
The chief minister had said that Mr Sidhu should have avoided indulging in such a gesture when Indian soldiers are getting killed every day on the border. After all, it is the Army Chief who gives the orders to kill, with the soldiers merely following the same.
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