PML-N Senator Irfanul Haque Siddiqui has firmly dismissed the swirling rumours that party leader and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif has any intention of becoming the next president of Pakistan or is preparing for a political comeback.
His remarks came during an appearance on Dawn News’ talk show Doosra Rukh on Wednesday night, amid a wave of speculation across political circles and social media suggesting major changes in the country’s top leadership.
Addressing these claims head-on, Siddiqui categorically stated, “Nawaz Sharif has neither expressed a desire to become president, nor has there been any discussion about it.” He went on to label the speculation as baseless, calling them nothing more than “table stories” with no foundation in reality. He clarified that Nawaz Sharif is not pursuing any strategy to alter the political system in order to secure the presidency for himself.
These statements came in response to unconfirmed reports suggesting that President Asif Ali Zardari might resign from office, potentially opening the door for Nawaz Sharif to be considered for the role.
However, Siddiqui, as well as other officials, rejected these rumors outright. He further added that while unexpected political developments do occur—as in the case of Zardari’s own ascent to the presidency years ago—they result from specific political climates, not hidden agendas.
Speaking earlier on Geo News’ Geo Pakistan, Siddiqui had also rubbished the broader set of speculative stories making the rounds, including those about Zardari’s resignation, Nawaz Sharif’s return to Adiala Jail, and even Imran Khan’s sons arriving in Pakistan. He emphasized that these reports are “bogus” and have no basis in fact.
The narrative was further reinforced by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, who took to X (formerly Twitter) to condemn what he called a “malicious campaign” aimed at undermining state institutions and leadership figures. Naqvi stated, “We are fully aware of who is behind the malicious campaign targeting President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and the Chief of Army Staff.”
He reassured the public that there had been no discussions about President Zardari stepping down or any ambitions from the army chief to assume the presidency.
According to Naqvi, President Zardari continues to maintain a strong and respectful working relationship with both the civilian and military leadership. He quoted Zardari as saying, “I know who is spreading these falsehoods, why they are doing so, and who stands to benefit from this propaganda.”
Naqvi concluded by stressing that the Chief of Army Staff, Field Marshal Asim Munir, remains singularly focused on strengthening Pakistan and ensuring its stability, and has no interest in political power plays.
The government, according to both Naqvi and Siddiqui, is committed to working within its coalition framework with the PPP, and there is no credible reason or political motivation to disturb the current arrangement.
