Hope peace doesn't have to wait until Navjot Sidhu becomes India PM, quips Imran Khan

Referring to the adversarial relationship between Indian and Pakistan, Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday wondered if he would have to wait for his 'friend' Navjot Singh Sidhu to become Prime Minister to have a friendly and peaceful relationship with India.

Punjab Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu with Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan. Photo: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf

KARTARPUR: Referring to the adversarial relationship between Indian and Pakistan, Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday wondered if he would have to wait for his 'friend' Navjot Singh Sidhu to become Prime Minister to have a friendly and peaceful relationship with India. Imran Khan was addressing a gathering at the foundation laying ceremony of Kartarpur corridor, where Sidhu and other Indian dignitaries were also present. Khan in his speech said Pakistan wants a "strong" and "civilised" relationship with India and the two countries can resolve all issues, including Kashmir, with a "determined" leadership on each side. Talking about two types of politicians, Khan said there's one who takes chance and dreams big while the other fears for his vote bank and spreads hatred to win elections. "There are two types of politicians. One who takes chances and sees big dreams. He unites the people and the masses. While the other functions being scared, keeping in mind his vote bank politics. He spreads hate. I am hoping that we shouldn't be kept waiting for Sidhu to become PM only after then India and Pakistan will become friends," Khan said. "I am hoping a leadership there comes which has the strength...I believe if any leadership resolves then for it nothing is impossible .. People from both sides need friendship for which the leadership should come together on a single page," the PTI chairman said. The prime minister said his government, the army and all political parties in the country are on the same page to improve ties with India, asserting that all issues, including Kashmir, can be resolved with "strength and will" of leadership of the two countries. Khan made a strong pitch for better ties between the two nuclear-armed neighbours after laying the foundation stone for the historic Kartarpur Corridor linking two revered gurdwaras on both sides of the border. India-Pakistan ties nose-dived in recent years with no bilateral talks taking place. The ties between the two countries had strained after the terror attacks by Pakistan-based groups in 2016. In a rebuff to Pakistan a day after Islamabad said it would invite Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the SAARC summit, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj declared there will be no dialogue with Pakistan unless it desists from terrorist activities against India. She also said the Kartarpur corridor initiative was not linked to the dialogue process with Pakistan.