PML-N leader Maryam Nawaz has belittled the former ruling party PTI, which has seen many of its central leadership parting ways in the wake of the May 9 events.

“Today there is so little of the party left that it can be adjusted in Qingqi [pronounced as Chingchi],” she said in her address at the party’s Shujaabad convention on Sunday. “Jis jahaz sey yeh jamaat bani thi usi mei wapis gai [The party has returned to the point from which it was formed].”

Her comments were made in reference to the PTI leaders, who have quit politics or decided to part ways with the party after getting bail from the court in cases related to May 9 events.

Many people have taken to the streets and damaged state buildings when PTI chief Imran Khan was arrested on May 9 by paramilitary forces in a graft case. They have also attacked military installations, prompting the government to call in the army to assist them in maintaining law and order.

Despite the PTI leaders’ condemnation of the events, the ruling alliance blamed the former ruling party and its chief Khan for inciting the people to attack the state buildings.

Maryam, who with a new role to reorganise the party, alleged that Khan instigated the PTI workers to attack the army installation, thinking that he will pressurise the army. “That planned backfired and now he [Imran Khan] is bagging to the army chief to meet him.”

She described the former premier as a “mastermind” of the events.

PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif suffered for years at the hands of his opponents, however, he never asked his workers to burn the country, she added. “This man [Imran Khan] lost his mind and burned the country after he lost his government.”

She went on to add that the real enemy of the country was identified after the May 9 tragedy. “He [Khan] claimed that he formed the party after the hard work of 26 years. That party was disintegrated in 26 minutes,” she said.

Maryam claimed that her party did not dismantle because “it is the people’s party and not a fake party”.

Many former PTI leaders have joined the party of Jehangir Tareen Khan—who was once a close confidant of PTI chief Khan. The Istehkam-i-Pakistan Party (IPP), includes Aleem Khan, Imran Ismail, Ali Zaidi, Fayyazul Hasan Chohan, and Amir Mehmood Kayani.

The senior vice president of the PML-N was of the view that the era of progress would begin for Pakistan as the chapter of chaos had been over after the May 9 riots. Maryam hailed PM Shehbaz Sharif and Finance Minister Ishaq for presenting the “best budget” despite the difficult economic situation.

Shehbaz and Dar “saved the country” from default without the IMF deal, Maryam said, adding: “Even in difficult economic conditions, the salaries of government employees of up to grade 16 were increased by 30 per cent.”

She said: “The country’s economy will take off when Nawaz Sharif returns to the country.”