Islamabad (Zahid Yaqoob Khawaja): Senator Irfan Siddiqui, a senior leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) and Parliamentary Party leader in the Senate, asserted that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) no longer possesses the capability to launch any significant political movement as it has already lost its esteem.

In an interview with a private TV channel, Siddiqui dismissed rumors of any backchannel negotiations with PTI’s jailed founder, Imran Khan, stating, “No government or establishment official has met Imran Khan in jail, nor has any offer been made or proposal extended to him. All such claims are utterly baseless and only aim to mislead PTI supporters.”

Siddiqui criticized Khan’s leadership, pointing out contradictions in his strategies: “PTI claims it can mobilize millions for a revolution, yet now it seeks to exploit the platform of a woman like Maharang Baloch for its anti-state agenda. It wouldn’t be surprising if tomorrow they collude with BLA.”

Responding a question he rejected the allegation of victimising PTI, saying current government’s approach is totally opposite to PTI’s past actions. He said that while “fabricated cases were filed against the opposition during PTI’s rule, the present government has refrained from such political victimization.”

Responding to PTI’s recent announcement of an agitation, Siddiqui remarked, “Imran Khan couldn’t rally mass public support even at the peak of his popularity. Now that he’s in jail, he is absolutely unable to make any difference. With a wounded leg Imran lead a long march to block the appointment of Syed Asim Munir as Chief of Army Staff but miserably failed to gather public support.”

The senator accused PTI of never going through in genuine political struggle, saying, “they came to power riding the horses of establishment.” He further criticized Khan’s shifting rhetoric, noting, “Once he called generals ‘Mir Jafar and Mir Sadiq,’ now he labels them ‘Pharaoh and Yazid.’ Every setback becomes an opportunity for him to play the victim, casting himself as Hussain and his opponents as yazid.”

Siddiqui emphasized that PTI lacks the capacity for dialogue or democratic norms. “Establishing any political alliance with clear objective is beyond their capability—Maulana Fazlur Rehman and Mahmood Khan Achakzai has already a bitter experience in this regard,” he said.

Questioning PTI’s strategy, he added, “Why should Pakistan’s youth sacrifice their future for Imran Khan’s misadventures?” He warned that PTI would only compound its problems if it continued on the “path of May 9.”