Imran Khan's oath-taking ceremony: Invitations sent to only close friends

Cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan has invited former Indian cricketers Kapil Dev, Sunil Gavaskar and Navjot Singh Sidhu to attend his oath-taking ceremony on August 11.

 Accepting Khan’s invitation, Sidhu called him a man of great character.

"It is a great honour, I accept the invitation,” said Sidhu in a statement issued to the media. “Men of genius are admired, men of power are feared, but men of character are trusted. Khan Sahab is a man of character. He can be trusted. Sportsmen build bridges, break barriers, unite people."

Kapil Dev, too, congratulated Khan on his victory in the elections, telling ABP News that he hoped Khan would utilize his success for the betterment of Pakistan.

 “It’s a huge achievement. The game of cricket is nothing before the country. He was passionate when he won the world and he is still the same. It took him 25 years to reach here. I hope his success would be utilized for the betterment of his nation,” said Dev.

“It a great feeling to have represented your nation on the cricket field and then become its supreme leader. So many players have been in different political position, but no one has got to such a big post,” added Dev. 

Khan’s party, the PTI, emerged the single largest party in the recently-concluded general elections, bagging 116 general seats, 22 short of a simple majority.

Meanwhile, Pakistani newspaper Dawn reported that Khan has decided not to invite foreign dignitaries to his oath-taking ceremony.

"It has been decided that no foreign personalities will be invited to the ceremony - it will be completely a national event. Only a few close friends of Imran Khan will be invited," a spokesperson of his party, PTI, was quoted as saying by the newspaper.

It is not immediately known if the invitations sent to Sidhu, Dev and Gavaskar still stand.