Renowned Pakistani actor Bushra Ansari has issued a clarification in response to substantial criticism she received for asserting that her father allegedly turned down a bribe from a leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).
During the 16th Aalmi Urdu Conference at Arts Council Karachi, Bushra Ansari recounted an incident involving her father, Ahmad Bashir, claiming that he had been offered a bribe on behalf of PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif, although she did not explicitly name the party at the time.
In a viral video on social media, Bushra detailed how her father, upon receiving the alleged bribe offer, expressed his anger, stating, “He came to give me a lifafa [bribe].”
Ahmad Bashir, a respected journalist, intellectual, and writer, passed away on December 25, 2004, in Lahore.
In response to the backlash, Bushra took to Instagram in a video, affirming the truth of her statements but clarifying that she did not specifically claim Nawaz Sharif had sent the individual. She acknowledged that various individuals within the party make their own decisions.
The 67-year-old actor emphasized her reluctance to single out any particular party or leader, expressing impartiality towards figures such as Asif Ali Zardari, Imran Khan, Shehbaz Sharif, or Nawaz Sharif. Bushra highlighted that every government, from Zia-ul-Haq to Pervez Musharraf and Zardari, has made compromises and mistakes, a reality that the public has had to navigate.
Bushra asserted her respect for all political leaders and called for people not to sensationalize her statement. Despite acknowledging the positive aspects of Nawaz Sharif’s governance, she stressed her intention to remain unaffiliated with any political party, urging respect for her neutrality.
