NEW DELHI – Yet another cricketer has turned down Imran Khan’s invite forthe oath taking ceremony in Islamabad on August 18.
Kapil Dev has turned down PM designate Imran Khan’s invite to theswearing-in ceremony. The cricketer has confirmed that he would not beattending the swearing-in ceremony on August 18, reported Indiannewspaper *TimesNow.link*
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Faisal Javed announced on August 10that cricket legends from India Kapil Dev, Navjyot Singh Sidhu, and SunilGavaskar have been invited to attend oath-taking ceremony.
Reports, however, said that Kapil Dev refused to attend the ceremony citing‘personal reasons’. On August 12, Gavaskar conveyed to Khan that he wouldnot be able to attend the event as he had prior work commitments. On thecontrary, cricketer-turned-politician Navjyot Singh Sidhu has accepted theinvitation.
In fact, on August 13, Sidhu was seen visiting Pakistan High Commission inNew Delhi. After the visit, Sidhu had said that he had applied for a permitfrom the Indian government and that his travel to Pakistan depended on thepermission by GoI.
Meanwhile, Indian ruling party BJP leader Subramanian Swamy had condemnedSidhu’s decision to travel to Pakistan and called it ‘treachery’.