‘I was given a huge bear hug by Captain Amarinder Singh – hugging is not treason’
Salman Ahmad is a Pakistani rock star and part of Imran Khan’s close circle of friends, thinkers and advisers. Having seen Navjot Singh Sindhu personally at the recent swearing-in of Khan, where Sidhu delivered his now-famous hug to Pakistan Army Chief General Qamar Bajwa, Salman Ahmad spoke with Srijana Mitra Das about the needlessness of ‘the fuss’, how Sidhu, unlike Nawaz Sharif, has been showered with appreciation in Pakistan – and the time Ahmad was given a bear hug by Captain Amarinder Singh.
Q. Please describe your view of Navjot Singh Sidhu hugging the Pakistan Army Chief General Qamar Bajwa – and isn't it true that Sidhu hugged the General, and it wasn’t really the other way around?
A. As an eye-witness to the now infamous hug, I can’t quite understand what the fuss is all about.
To put things in their proper context, at PM Imran Khan's historic oath-taking ceremony in Islamabad, there was a sense of great celebration, bonhomie and hope. The ceremony, held inside the Aiwan-e-Sadr, was attended by the cream of Pakistani society – legendary cricketers, movie stars, rock stars, poets, composers, musicians, intellectuals, philanthropists, business tycoons, social entrepreneurs, opinion makers, media, diplomats and, of course, politicians and the heads of the armed forces.
In this festive and colourful atmosphere, Navjot Singh Sidhu and members of the Indian High Commission were welcomed by all and sundry as ambassadors of peace.I must confess that Sidhu had already won the hearts of many millions of Pakistanis, including myself, when he gave his Punjabi interview on a news channel about IK’s journey from superstar cricketer to PM. Sidhu's was in fact an unabashed analysis of Imran who is as well-known in India as he is revered in Pakistan. If Indians had any reservations about Sidhu's friendship with IK, no one said anything. In addition, PM Modi had called Imran Khan to congratulate him, sent a letter and even an autographed bat from the Indian cricket team.
The Indian delegation led by Sidhu, sat in the front row, soaking up all the attention and generous compliments by all who had gathered in Islamabad.No one even noticed who hugged whom first. This was cultural fusion – not treason. When you belong to the Punjab, and to Jat clans like COAS Bajwa and Sidhu do, a hug is a formal salutation.
Punjabis hug!
Q. Speaking of which, please tell us about how Punjab’s current chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh hugged you during your visit to India?
A. Well, during Junoon's tour of Patiala in 2004, when Captain Amarinder Singh found out that I was the great-great-great grandson of Namdar Khan, he invited me to the Maharaja of Patiala's palace. Namdar Khan had been a guardian of Maharaja Bhupinder Singh – and learning of this, I was given a huge bear hug by Captain Amarinder and his family.
I was so deeply moved by his natural affection that I chose to shoot my short music film Ghoom Tana, starring Nandita Das, Naseeruddin Shah and Shubha Mudgal, in Patiala.
Q. Realistically, isn't there a difference between hugging a friend or a famous cultural star versus the military chief of a nation that is antagonistic to you?
A. The context of the hug matters at a lot. I'm sure Amma would approve!
Q. So everyone's talking about Punjabis hugging each other – but we don't see such hugs between, say, General Bajwa and Nawaz Sharif who are both Punjabis. So, how far can we really push the Punjabi narrative here?
A. COAS Bajwa is a professional soldier who has openly said that he and the Pakistan armed forces want strong democratic institutions and peace in the region.
In my opinion, Nawaz Sharif was not really cut out to be a democrat. His style of governance was more like a monarch – he was preparing his next of kin to take over from him before the SC, rightfully, convicted and sentenced him to 10 years because of the Panama Papers scandal.
Q. Candidly speaking though, what would be the response to a Pakistani sports star coming to India and hugging our Army Chief? Wouldn't Pakistanis be upset?
A. To hug or not to hug? Arms are for embracing, not fighting. Eid Mubarak!