*ISLAMABAD: *The Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), which is all set to form a newgovernment in Pakistan, on Tuesday rejected reports that it was mulling toinvite foreign leaders to attend the oath-taking ceremony of its chiefImran Khan.
News agency ANI reported that ”Tehreek-e-Insaf has rebuffed reports, whichclaimed that the party was planning to invite foreign dignitaries to theoath-taking ceremony of Imran Khan as Pakistan’s Prime Minister,” addingthat ”the decision on the same was pending”.
PTI spokesperson Fawad Chaudhry on Tuesday took to his Twitter handle andstated that his party would take the decision regarding the same afterconsulting with Pakistan’s Foreign Office.
The clarification from the party came in the light of reports that leadersof SAARC-member states, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, may beinvited to attend Imran Khan’s oath-taking ceremony.
“Media speculations about international dignitaries attending PM-designateImran Khan’s oath ceremony are not correct. We have sought the advice ofForeign Office on the matter and will decide accordingly,” Chaudhry tweeted.
Earlier in the day, there were media reports suggesting that PTI wasconsidering to invite leaders from the SAARC countries, including PrimeMinister Narendra Modi, to attend Imran’s oath-taking ceremony scheduled tobe held on August 11.
Despite emerging as the largest party, 65-year-old Khan’s PTI is stillshort of numbers to form the government on its own. However, addressing apress brining, Khan had on Monday hinted that he would take oath as PrimeMinister possibly on August 11.
In a goodwill gesture, PM Modi too called up Khan and congratulated him forhis victory in the polls.
While congratulating Khan, PM Modi hoped that “Pakistan and India will workto open a new chapter in bilateral ties”.
Khan, on his part, termed PM Modi’s telephone call as a welcoming sign,which marked the beginning of a new chapter in relations between the twocountries. This triggered speculation about PM Modi attending Khan’s oathceremony.
Khan in his victory speech had also said that better relations betweenPakistan and India would be “good for all of us”.
The relations between India and Pakistan have remained tense since 2014.
Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif had travelled to Delhi to attend PMModi’s oath-taking ceremony and the Indian premier had in December 2015made a brief stopover in Lahore to greet his counterpart on his birthday.
The India-Pakistan ties further nose-dived in recent years with nobilateral talks taking place.