TLDR:
Bushra accuses Saudi of undermining PTI
Claims army facilitated Saudi influence
Alleged Sharia conflict fuelled fallout
PESHAWAR (The Thursday Times) — Former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s wife, Bushra Bibi, has publicly accused Saudi Arabia of orchestrating the downfall of Khan’s PTI-led government, alleging that the Kingdom viewed his administration as too “pro-Sharia” for its liking. Bushra claimed that Saudi officials directly influenced Pakistan’s military, pressuring then-Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa to act against Khan’s government.
عمران خان کی اہلیہ بشری بی بی کا سعودی عرب پر بڑا الزام؛
عمران خان نے بتایا ہے کہ جب وہ سعودی عرب سے واپس آئے تھے تو جنرل باجوہ کو کال آئی تھی ہم سعودی عرب سے شریعت ختم کرنے لگے ہیں اور تم یہ کسے اٹھا کر لے آئے ہو۔ pic.twitter.com/ThX4m7REBm— The Thursday Times (@thursday_times) November 21, 2024
Allegations of Saudi interference in Pakistan’s politics
Bushra Bibi stated that Saudi officials criticised Khan’s premiership during a sensitive period, portraying his government as a “guardian of Sharia,” which they allegedly sought to dismantle in Pakistan. She alleged that these views were directly conveyed to General Bajwa following Khan’s official visit to Saudi Arabia during his tenure. According to Bushra, this marked the start of a coordinated campaign to tarnish Khan’s reputation, leading to accusations branding him as an “agent of Jews” to alienate him politically and religiously.
Adding to the narrative, Dr Shahbaz Gill, a key ally of Imran Khan, supported Bushra’s claims with further allegations against General Bajwa. Gill alleged that Bajwa manipulated narratives both domestically and internationally to undermine Khan. “Just as General Bajwa first called Russia’s visit necessary for Pakistan and requested the Prime Minister to visit anyway and later sold lies to America, he created an atmosphere by selling lies about Imran Khan to foreign countries. In the same way, Bajwa did not like Imran Khan to be barefoot in Madina and to wear shalwar kameez,” Gill remarked, pointing to personal biases in Bajwa’s actions.
Gill further alleged that Bajwa and his close circle fabricated lies about foreign disapproval of Khan’s policies and personal behaviour. He claimed, “Bajwa Begum’s father-in-law and Mithu also fabricated self-made lies on this and said that so-and-so country did not like it. Bajwa kept feeding all these things to journalists, and the journalists kept telling us too.”
اہم اعلان 🚨🚨🚨🚨
جس طرح جنرل باجوہ نے پہلے روس کے دورہ کو پاکستان کے لئے ضروری کہا اور وزیراعظم سے درخواست کی کہ وہ ہر صورت دورہ کریں اور بعد میں امریکہ کو جھوٹ بیچا اور عمران خان سے متعلق جھوٹ بیرونی ممالک میں بیچ کر ایک فضا بنائی۔
بلکل اسی طرح عمران خان کا ننگے پاؤں مدینہ…
— Dr. Shahbaz GiLL (@SHABAZGIL) November 21, 2024
Military’s alleged role in facilitating foreign influence
Bushra Bibi’s account deepens suspicions about the military’s complicity in foreign interference. Her statement implied that General Bajwa entertained Saudi directives, acting as a conduit for their anti-Sharia agenda. The allegations suggest that military leadership played a dual role: accommodating external pressures while simultaneously steering public opinion against Khan.
Dr Shahbaz Gill’s claims amplify this narrative, accusing General Bajwa of systematically misrepresenting Khan to foreign powers, including Saudi Arabia and the United States. His remarks painted a picture of a military leadership not only discontented with Khan’s governance but actively working to discredit his administration by feeding misinformation to key domestic and international actors.
Political consequences for PTI and Imran Khan
The fallout from these alleged conspiracies was swift and devastating. According to Bushra Bibi, the coordinated efforts by Saudi Arabia, facilitated by Pakistan’s military, led to a targeted smear campaign against Khan. The former First Lady recounted that institutional bodies informed Khan that his barefoot pilgrimage to Madina and his traditional attire, such as the shalwar qameez, were viewed unfavourably by foreign powers. This narrative was further weaponised to paint Khan as an ideological extremist unfit for modern leadership.
The impact of these allegations extended beyond personal attacks, seeping into the political fabric of Pakistan. Bushra Bibi revealed that her husband’s government faced relentless challenges, including public narratives designed to discredit PTI’s governance and alienate its leadership from key allies and the electorate. As Bushra stated, “Bushra Bibi has only told what reached Khan. Therefore, convey criticism or praise to Bajwa Begum’s father-in-law and Mithu as per the intention,” hinting at a web of misinformation orchestrated against Khan.
