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Imran Khan decides to go for an austere oath ceremony, no foreign dignitaries invited
Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chairman and prime minister-designate Imran Khan will be holding a simple event during the swearing ceremony and has decided against inviting foreign dignitaries and celebrities, Pakistan news agency Dawn reported.
The PTI party won 115 seats and joined hands with independent candidates as well as key allies in forming the next government. Earlier, the party had initally planned to invite foreign dignitaries and celebrities, but later today, Khan opted against a fancy ceremony. “The PTI chairman has directed to stage the oath-taking event with austerity,” PTI spokesperson Fawad Chaudhry said. “He will take his oath in a simple ceremony at Aiwan-e-Sadr(President House).”
“It has been decided that no foreign personalities will be invited to the ceremony — it will be a completely national event. Only a few close friends of Imran Khan will be invited.”
“There will be no show of extravagance at the event,” added Chaudhry.
Earlier, (PTI) leaders on Wednesday met Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua to discuss which foreign dignitaries could be invited to the prime minister’s oath-taking ceremony on August 11, reported the Dawn.
The sources also told Dawn that the PTI leaders wished to invite the heads of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) member states ─ including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi ─ as well as China and Turkey, including Indian celebrities Amir Khan, Kapil Dev and Sunil Gavasker for the oath taking ceremony on August 11.
The PTI leaders also asked the FO for suggestions on whom they should invite to the meeting. Members of the FO maintained that calling foreign leaders to the oath taking is a sensitive matter and all perspectives need to be taken into consideration.
PTI Spokesperson Fawad Chaudhry later confirmed to Dawn that the party had asked the FO about inviting foreign leaders and dignitaries to the event.
Chaudhry told Dawn that the PTI had asked the FO if it would be possible to invite foreign dignitaries, including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, given the short period of time before the ceremony takes place.
He had said that the party is awaiting a response from the FO on the matter.
