ISLAMABAD  -  Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senator Irfan Siddiqui Monday blamed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) for consistently obstructing Pakistan’s progress, urging it to prioritise national dignity.

He warned that choosing the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit day for their actions would have severe repercussions. “PTI is habitual of disrupting country’s advancement,” he said while talking to a private news channel, emphasizing the need for patriotism over political point-scoring. The Parliamentary Leader of PML-N in the Senate Siddiqui further criticized that despite senior leaders from Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and his party being jailed, the country’s matters were not derailed by similar blackmailing tactics. He added that the current disruptions were being driven by political agendas rather than genuine concerns for the nation’s well-being. “PTI has a history of causing trouble whenever important events are on the horizon,” he said, adding, in the past, they disrupted the Chinese president’s visit to Pakistan and now they are poised to do it again.

“Their actions are reckless and selfish, prioritizing political gain over national dignity,” he said. It is crucial to remember that Pakistan’s reputation is at stake and such antics will only harm the country’s interests, he underlined. Responding to a query, he said even if a PTI leader was imprisoned, the party could still function effectively, just like PML-N and PPP did during similar circumstances. “In fact, history shows that PML-N and PPP continued to operate smoothly despite having their senior leaders jailed,” he claimed.

For instance, during former prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s imprisonment, PML-N remained a strong opposition force, and similarly, PPP continued its political activities when Asif Ali Zardari was jailed, he highlighted. To another query, he replied that there was no deadlock over the notification of the new chief justice and discussions were underway. He said PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif has been in constant communication with PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto and other leaders of his party regarding a constitutional amendment.