Copyright pakistantoday
Senator had been receiving treatment for respiratory distress in ICU of local hospital ISLAMABAD: Senior PML-N Senator Irfan Siddiqui passed away on Monday in Islamabad after a brief illness, his son confirmed. The senator, who served as chairman of the Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and PML-N parliamentary leader in the upper house, had been receiving treatment at a local hospital for respiratory distress. According to his family, Siddiqui was admitted to the intensive care unit due to breathing difficulties but was not placed on a ventilator. Earlier, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry had claimed that Siddiqui’s health had deteriorated and that he had been put on a ventilator. President Asif Ali Zardari extended his condolences to the family, praising the late senator for his “immense contributions” to democracy in Pakistan. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi also paid tribute, describing Siddiqui as a “champion of high traditions in both journalism and politics.” Senator Siddiqui’s passing comes ahead of a crucial session of the Senate, where lawmakers were to discuss the 27th Constitutional Amendment bill. His absence is expected to complicate proceedings for the government, which requires a two-thirds majority to pass the legislation. Siddiqui had a distinguished career in both politics and journalism, and in 2019, he was briefly arrested at his residence in Islamabad over tenancy law issues but was later released on bail. The news of his death has prompted an outpouring of grief across political circles, with leaders from various parties paying tribute to his decades-long public service.
