Chandigarh, Aug 21 (IANS): Slamming those who criticized him for hugging the Pakistan Army chief, Punjab cabinet Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu on Tuesday said that Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa met him barely for a minute before the swearing-in of Prime Minister Imran Khan.

"I did not meet him later," he told reporters.

Defending his action, Sidhu also said that his seating at the swearing-in in Islamabad on August 18 was changed at the last minute and he did not know who sat next to him.

Without mincing words, he said his visit to Pakistan was a tribute to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who wanted peace between the two countries.

Sidhu said he received a lot of love and affection in Pakistan and was disappointed by some of the reactions in India.

He said he went to Pakistan at the invitation and repeated reminders from Imran Khan.

"Even our government gave permission to me to visit Pakistan. Two days after Pakistan gave him the visa, our External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj called me and said that I had been given permission (to go)," Sidhu said.