PM Imran, Indian Punjab CM Amarinder Singh share family ties: report

A five-minute bus ride between Prime Minister Imran Khan and Indian Punjab’s Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, on the inauguration of Kartarpur Corridor, revealed that the two have had family ties for years, reported Indian News Channel NDTV on Monday.

An official statement issued by Singh’s office said that the two discovered the ‘special connect’ between their two families even though they had not met each other before and neither did the two know each other personally.

The statement said, "During his conversation with [PM] Imran, Captain Amarinder told the latter that his uncle, Jahangir Khan had played for Patiala, along with Mohd Nisar, Lala Amarnath, fast bowler Amar Singh and the two Ali batsmen (Wazir Ali and Amir Ali).

"These seven players were part of the team captained by Captain Amarinder's father, Maharaja Yadvinder Singh (the ruler of the erstwhile Patiala state) in 1934-35, for India and for Patiala.”

Also read: Pakistan inaugurates Kartarpur Corridor for Indian Sikh pilgrims

The Congress leader’s office said that the bus ride lasted less than five minutes, but, thanks to cricket, it was enough to break the ice between the two leaders.

The Punjab chief minister was part of the group of over 550 Indian pilgrims who were the first Indians to enter Pakistan through the Kartarpur Corridor. 

Singh shared the bus ride with the premier after he was received by PM Imran and Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi at the Zero Point of the International Border of the Kartarpur corridor.