'Had nobody come, it would have looked bad', says Navjot Singh Sidhu after hugging the Pak Army chief and sitting next to the PoK President at Imran Khan's swearing-in

Punjab Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu has defended his visit to Imran Khan's oath-taking ceremony as Pakistan Prime Minister, stating "Agar koi na aata yaha to bura lagta.(Had nobody come, it would've looked bad)" The Congress leader was present at the event where Khan officially became the 22nd PM of his country.

The Pakistan media has been glued to Sidhu ever since he stepped into Pakistan via the Wagah Border, and despite being the only Indian cricketer to have accepted Pakistan's invite, but the former Indian opener defended his visit. He said, "Main mohabbat ka paigam laya tha Hindustan se. Jitni mohabbat mai laya tha, usse zyada mai lekar jaa rahu. (I had brought a message of love from India. The love I brought with me, I am taking a lot more back)" 

Sidhu added, "Love will unify us. Government has powers and they will unify us. Imran Khan has the power to change perception. Imran said 'you take one step and we will take two steps'. If Punjab borders will be open from both sides, then there will be much growth. I came here for friendship, not as a politician."

He also spoke of his encounter with Pakistan's politically-influential Army's chief Qamar Javed Bajwa describing, "Pakistan Army Chief hugged me and told 'we want peace'. It's my dream that we should unify. I will not forget this trip all of my life. We have same blood, same food, same culture. I am thankful to everyone that I got so much love and respect from Pakistan."

During the ceremony, Sidhu not only hugged the Pak Army chief but also sat alongside Masood Khan, the President of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir(PoK), during the event.

"I knew Imran saheb for the last 35 years. I have not come here for doing politics. Agar koi na aata yaha to bura lagta. I don't want to swim in red ocean," said Sidhu.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan was sworn-in as the 22nd Prime Minister of Pakistan at 10:10 am on Saturday. He took oath in the presence of Pak President Mamnoon Hussain at Islamabad. Imran had received 176 votes in his favor, as compared to 96 for his nearest rival, Shehbaz Sharif, President of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), on Friday in the National Assembly.