Friendship can’t be above country, Sidhu restrain himself: Kalia

Jalandhar, August 3, 2018: Senior BJP leader Manoranjan Kalia has advised Navjot Singh Sidhu, Minister for Local Government, Punjab not to be over optimistic in regard to Indo-Pak relations and over enthusiastic upon attending the swearing-in ceremony of former cricketer Imran Khan as Prime Minister of Pakistan without formal invitation. In a statement here today, he added Imran Khan earlier expressed his views that playing cricket with India for him amounted to fighting for Kashmir. Due to his open support to Taliban Imran Khan has been named in Pakistan as “Taliban Khan”. Anti India stand of Imran Khan’s Party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) during elections is an open secret. Kalia said it is pertinent to note that the Army in Pakistan is the de-facto ruler and the Prime Minister of Pakistan in Government cannot decide without the concurrence of the Army. The reports coming from Pakistan show that Army has declined the invite to Foreign Dignitaries. Moreover the statement of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) spokesperson Fawad Chaudhri clarified that no formal foreign personalities would be invited to the swearing-in ceremony and only few friends of Imran Khan have been invited. “Friendship can’t be above the country, thus, Sidhu restrain himself”, remarked Kalia.