ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senator Irfan Siddiqui passed away in Islamabad on Monday after a brief illness, his son confirmed.
The senator had been under treatment at a local hospital for several days due to respiratory distress, and he had not been placed on a ventilator, he was admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) after facing difficulty in breathing.
President Asif Ali Zardari showed his deep sorrow over Siddiqui’s passing, offering condolences to the bereaved family. In a statement issued by the President’s House, President Zardari paid tribute to the late senator, acknowledging his “immense contributions to democracy and parliamentary politics in Pakistan.”
In this regard, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi also conveyed his condolences, describing Siddiqui as a “champion of high traditions in both journalism and politics.”
Naqvi said Siddiqui’s death was a “great loss to the political and intellectual community of Pakistan.”
In this sense, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Tariq Fazal Chaudhry had stated that the PML-N leader’s health had deteriorated and that he had been placed on a ventilator.
“Senior politician and important PML-N leader Siddiqui is extremely unwell. He has been put on a ventilator due to severe illness,” Chaudhry had written.
Meanwhile, Siddiqui’s passing came shortly before a scheduled session of the Senate, where lawmakers were set to discuss the 27th Constitutional Amendment Bill.
Siddiqui was serving as chairman of the Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and as the PML-N’s parliamentary leader in the Senate.
In 2019, Siddiqui made headlines when he was arrested at his residence in Islamabad under the tenancy law for allegedly not informing police while renting out his house. He was later released on bail.
Senator Irfan Siddiqui’s passing indicates the end of a distinguished career spanning journalism, academia, and politics.
He is remembered as a principled voice in the Senate and a steadfast advocate for democratic norms in Pakistan.
