Islamabad: Senator Irfan Siddiqui of the Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) has strongly rebuked the declaration issued by the movement calling itself Tehreek Tahaffuz-e-Aain Pakistan, describing it as “shamefully and painfully disappointing” at a time when the nation faces a profound test. In a written statement, the senior senator said the movement’s communiqué failed to condemn terrorists and their patrons even once, and instead brazenly accused law-enforcement agencies of having lost credibility — a charge he called both unjust and dangerous.

Siddiqui said the timing and tone of the declaration reflect poor judgment and an alarming moral lapse. “At a moment when sons of the soil are sacrificing their lives to protect the country, such words expose a low and reckless mindset,” he said. The senator argued that the statement’s selective silence on terrorism — combined with allegations directed at institutions that have borne the brunt of the fight against militancy — amount to an affront to the memory of those who paid the highest price for national security.

The PML-N lawmaker also criticized the movement’s instruction that the provincial government be consulted, stating that it was an astonishing demand given what he described as the province’s long record of failing to check militancy. “The very provincial administration this statement seeks to elevate has, for the past 13 years, maintained an environment in which extremists were allowed to grow; it turned the province into a safe haven for terrorists,” Siddiqui said. He suggested that to urge consultation with that same administration exposes either willful blindness or deliberate hypocrisy.

Siddiqui further accused the authors of the communiqué of lacking even the basic decency to show restraint in a time of national mourning. “Those who carry enmity toward our armed forces have lost even the last trace of shame,” he said, stressing that public rhetoric which undermines the security agencies’ sacrifices sows discord and weakens the collective national resolve against violent extremism.

The senator’s remarks come amid heightened public sensitivity after a string of violent incidents and cross-border tensions that have placed security institutions and political leadership under intense national scrutiny. Siddiqui framed his criticism within the larger narrative of unity and responsibility: he argued that political movements and civil society groups must act with clear moral compass when the country is engaged in operations to secure its borders and protect its citizens.

Siddiqui also sought to counter the claim — made in the movement’s statement — that law-enforcement agencies have lost their reputation. He underlined the institutions’ role in saving countless lives and breaking the back of organized violent networks that once operated with relative impunity. “Our law-enforcement agencies have been at the forefront of civilian protection; to suggest otherwise is to ignore the tens of thousands of victims and the families who continue to mourn them,” he said.

Without naming individuals, Siddiqui warned that such statements could embolden extremist elements and create a permissive environment for those who wish to exploit civic dissent for violent ends. He urged all political and religious formations to unequivocally condemn terrorism and to support the state’s efforts to root out militants and their facilitators. He added that true democratic engagement demands responsibility: dissent and political opposition have a place, but they must not cross into rhetoric that indirectly aids those who target the nation.

In closing, the senator appealed to political actors to rise above opportunism and to focus on national cohesion. “This is not the time for political point-scoring. The lives of our security personnel and the safety of our citizens transcend partisan politics,” Siddiqui said. He repeated his call for unity and moral clarity: parties and pressure groups must clearly distance themselves from language that gives comfort to enemies of the state.

Analysts observing the exchange say the controversy highlights a broader tension in Pakistan’s political discourse: how to preserve democratic space for protest and dissent while ensuring that criticism does not devolve into narratives that undermine national security institutions during crises. Senator Siddiqui’s remarks are likely to reignite debate about the responsibilities of political movements and civil society actors, and they underscore the thin line between legitimate political critique and rhetoric that may be exploited by violent actors.

As the debate continues, observers warn that a constructive path forward will require both sober public discussion and a renewed commitment by political leaders to prioritize national security and unity, avoiding inflammatory language that risks deepening an already fragile situation.