Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senator Irfan Siddiqui has criticized the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) for continuing to claim election rigging while benefiting from the same system. He questioned why PTI lawmakers were still enjoying parliamentary perks if they believed the elections were fraudulent.
“You [PTI members] are part of this system,” Siddiqui stated on Monday. He pointed out that PTI leaders, after entering the parliament through the same election process, were receiving salaries and privileges while calling the polls rigged.
His remarks came after PTI leaders once again rejected the 2024 election results. In a joint press conference, PTI’s top members, including Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, Omar Ayub Khan, Shibli Faraz, and Salman Akram Raja, urged the judiciary to speed up cases related to election rigging and the judiciary-focused 26th Constitutional Amendment.
Siddiqui compared PTI’s stance to that of the Pakistan National Alliance (PNA) in 1977. He said that when the PNA alleged election rigging, it completely rejected the results. In contrast, PTI leaders have not only taken their seats but also formed a government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The senator also pointed out that PTI lawmakers had supported the bill that raised their salaries. He referred to the Members of Parliament Salaries and Allowances (Amendment) Bill 2025, which recently passed in the National Assembly with a majority vote.
He further questioned whether the elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were conducted by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja or if some unseen forces had organized them. Siddiqui implied that PTI selectively accepted election results when it suited them.
On the issue of Imran Khan’s alleged isolation, Siddiqui dismissed PTI’s claims. Omar Ayub had earlier alleged that Imran Khan was being denied proper facilities in Adiala Jail and that access to him was restricted. However, Siddiqui countered these claims by stating that the number of meetings granted to Khan exceeded those given to thousands of other inmates combined.
He accused PTI of demanding special treatment for its leader. According to Siddiqui, PTI wanted meetings to take place in a location where no oversight was possible. He added that such requests should be made according to prison regulations, not as a special favor.
Despite PTI’s persistent claims of election rigging, Siddiqui highlighted the contradiction in their actions. While publicly rejecting the election process, PTI continues to function within the same system, benefiting from its privileges.
