PM Modi to Pakistan for Prime Minister's Oath-taking ceremony

Lahore, July 31: Pakistan's Politician Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf(PTI) 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 14.

"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.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi called Imran Khan to congratulate him on the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) emerging as the single largest party in Pakistan's recently conducted general election. Modi, in his conversation with the PTI chief and Pakistan's prime minister-in-waiting, expressed hope that democracy would take deeper roots in Pakistan.

Pakistan's National Assembly comprises a total of 342 members, of which 272 are directly elected. To meet the required number of votes, the PTI leadership has reportedly been approaching the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), the Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA), PML-Quaid (PML-Q), and the Balochistan Awami Party (BAP), as well as Independents.

Imran still needs 18 members. His party is trying to win the support of 13 Independent members and MQM which has 6 members. It is also expected to get the support of 4 members of Balochistan Awami Party.