Bushra Bibi, the wife of incarcerated former Prime Minister Imran Khan, has reportedly taken a more active role not only in the political matters of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) but also in the party’s legal affairs, according to a report by a private news
on Saturday. The report claims that Bibi has made changes to the legal teams, including replacing members of the Insaf Lawyers Forum.
Amid claims of internal divisions within PTI, several ministers have suggested that the party has been fractured due to conflicts of interest involving Bushra Bibi and Khan’s sisters. They allege that she has a significant influence on the political decisions of the party. However, PTI has denied these allegations, maintaining that Bibi’s involvement is focused on her husband’s matters and not on the party’s leadership.
Bibi’s sister, Maryam Riaz Wattoo, addressed these concerns in a December 2 interview on private news channel. Wattoo clarified that Bushra Bibi was not engaging in politics but was solely advocating for her husband’s release following the November 26 protest. She explained that after the rally, Bibi’s primary role was to carry out Imran Khan’s instructions and work for his freedom, stating that it was her duty as a wife to support him during this difficult time.
The private news channel report further claimed that Bushra Bibi had requested a list of lawyers from Advocate Qazi Anwar, who, along with Mashaal Yousafzai, would report directly to her on legal matters. According to the report, Bibi has instructed Anwar to consult her before making final decisions on cases and has prohibited other lawyers from communicating with Khan directly.
This week, Anwar reportedly briefed Bushra Bibi on the challenges and issues faced by the legal team. Additionally, consultations regarding changes in the legal leadership in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were also conducted with her, as she worked to resolve conflicts among the lawyers and keep Imran Khan informed of these developments.
