Imran Khan's PTI considering inviting Modi for his oath ceremony

Lahore: Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf is considering inviting the leaders of the SAARC countries including Prime Minister Narendra Modi to his oath-taking ceremony as the premier next month, a party official said today.

The PTI, led by 65-year-old Khan, has emerged as the single largest party in the National Assembly after the July 25 elections, but it is still short of numbers to form the government on its own. Khan yesterday said that he would take oath as prime minister on August 11.

“The core committee of Tehreek-i-Insaf is considering inviting the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) heads including Mr Modi and a decision on this is expected shortly,” a leader of Khan’s party told PTI.

He also termed Modi’s telephone call to Khan on his victory in the 2018 polls a welcoming sign to begin a new chapter in relations between the two countries. 

The spokesperson for Khan’s party Fawad Chaudhry also did not rule out inviting Modi to the swearing-in ceremony.

“A decision about it will be taken by the party in consultation with the foreign ministry in coming days,” he said.