ISLAMABAD: PML-N leader Irfan Siddiqui, who was a spokesperson for the government committee for talks with the opposition, has asked the PTI to show “seriousness” about the dialogue, saying the government had already offered talks to the opposition party.

Both sides had held multiple rounds of talks earlier this year, but the dialogue did not move forward due to a stalemate on PTI’s demands, including the formation of a commission for the May 9 violence.

Speaking on a private TV show, the Senator said in democracies, the opposition uses constitutional and democratic ways, not violent protest. He termed the PTI’s plan to organise a protest on August 14 as the continuation of the May 9 mentality. “The government is not worried about the PTI protest call as the public had already rejected the party and showed no support to the PTI’s protest call on Aug 5,” he added.

He lashed out at incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan for what he called ‘deviating from parliamentary and democratic norms’. He claimed the PTI was following its ‘undemocratic practices’ by boycotting the upcoming by-elections. He said that the PTI was already facing cracks in its ranks due to internal rifts and divisions.

He added all state institutions were functioning normally, saying the PTI was trying to paint a bleak picture of the government affairs.

Published in Dawn, August 11th, 2025