Former cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu might be off to Pakistan to cheer Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan from the stands as the latter pads up for, perhaps, his most important innings of his life as the prime minister. Sidhu arrived at the Pakistan High Commission in Delhi on Monday for a few “formalities”.
Sidhu has been invited by Khan—to his austere swearing-in—and is waiting for a go-ahead by the Indian government to attend the ceremony. If allowed, it will be a new era of cricketing diplomacy between India and Pakistan. The cricketer-turned-politician has been quoted as saying that Khan called him up to invite him for the swearing-in. An official invite was then extended to him through the High Commission.
Khan laid the foundation of his Naya Pakistan as the first session of the brand new National Assembly took place on Monday. Khan, along with his team, was administered the oath by the outgoing speaker. The National Assembly also saw Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto taking his first step into politics by becoming the member of the assembly. In what is like a Narendra Modi-Rahul Gandhi rivalry, the two shook hands.
On Wednesday, Khan will have to prove his majority—he has just a wafer thin advantage over the opposition—to officially become the prime minister of Pakistan. The PTI has 115 seats on its own, but, it has partnered with the Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM), the Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) and the Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA), Balochistan National Party (BNP), the Awami Muslim League (AML) and Jamori Watan Party to reach the required numbers. The opposition Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PMN-L) and the PPP have 64 and 43 seats respectively. It is expected that Shahbaz Sharif, now at the helm of the PMN-L, will put up a fight against Khan. He has pitted himself as a prime minister candidate against Khan. While Khan will pull through, it sets the tone for the rest of the term. In short, the opposition will keep him on his toes.
The first battle for Khan to win will be the post of the speaker. Apart from, of course, his own prime ministerial bid. In the race for the NA speaker post, PTI's Asad Qaiser would face PPP's Syed Khursheed Shah, a joint candidate of the 11-party alliance—Pakistan Alliance for Free and Fair Elections.
In keeping with the spirit of the Independence Day, both India and Pakistan, in a goodwill gesture released prisoners from their jails. Seven Pakistan civilian prisoners were released from Indian jails while Pakistan, in turn, chose to free 30 Indian prisoners including 27 fishermen. Last week India had allowed 14 Pakistan fishermen to go back to their country.