PTI mulls to invite Modi, other leaders to oath ceremony: Indian media

KARACHI: Cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan became cynosure for the Indian media after Prime Minister Narendra Modi felicitated the former on election victory. Now reports say that Imran’s PTI is considering to invite several leaders including Modi to the oath-taking ceremony.

NDTV reports citing a PTI official that the party is mulling to invite leaders of SAARC countries, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi to his oath taking ceremony as the Prime Minister of Pakistan.

PTI has emerged as the largest political party in the country after the July 25 general elections, winning 115 of the 270 National Assembly seats on which the elections were held.

The party says that it has the required number of strength to form government both in Punjab and center.

“The core committee of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf is considering inviting the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) member countries’ leaders including Mr Modi and a decision in this regard is expected shortly,” a leader from PTI told Press Trust of India, reports NDTV.

He also termed PM Modi’s telephone call to Imran Khan on his victory in the 2018 elections a welcoming sign to begin a “new chapter” in relations between the two countries.

PTI Spokesperson Fawad Chaudhry, according to Times of India, did not rule out inviting Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the swearing in ceremony on August 11. “A decision about it will be taken by the party in consultation with the foreign ministry in coming days,” he said.

On Monday, PM Modi called Imran Khan to congratulate him on his party’s victory in the general elections in Pakistan and hoped that “Pakistan and India will work to open a new chapter in bilateral ties”.

Mr Khan thanked Prime Minister Modi for his wishes and emphasised that disputes should be resolved through dialogue. ” Mr Khan in his victory speech had also said that better relations between Pakistan and India would be “good for all of us”.