Imran Khan has directly blamed Pakistan Army chief General Asim Munir, for the continued incarceration of his wife, Bushra Bibi, calling it an act of personal revenge. The jailed former prime minister alleged that her 14-month detention and inhumane treatment stem from Munir’s “vindictive nature” following his removal as Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chief during Khan’s tenure. Khan claimed the targeting of his wife, a private citizen with no political role, is unprecedented even in Pakistan’s most repressive eras.
Khan alleged that General Munir attempted to reach out to his wife through go-betweens. “As Prime Minister, when I removed General Asim Munir from the post of DG ISI, he sought to approach my wife Bushra Bibi through intermediaries to discuss the matter,” Khan wrote in a post on X on Monday.
According to Khan, Bushra Bibi firmly rejected the approach, stating she had no role in such matters and refused to meet Munir. “It is General Asim Munir’s vindictive nature that is behind Bushra Bibi’s unjust 14-month incarceration and deplorable inhumane treatment in prison,” Khan said.
Khan further alleged that his wife was being persecuted out of personal spite, adding that even during Pakistan’s most repressive military regimes, such actions were unheard of. Referring to the charges against Bushra Bibi, he said: “She was accused of aiding and abetting, an allegation for which no proof has ever been presented, and she is arrested in one false case after another.”
Describing his wife as a private citizen and homemaker with no political role, Khan said he hasn’t seen her in the past four weeks. “According to jail regulations, I was scheduled to meet her on June 1 but even that meeting was denied, in complete violation of court orders,” he said.
Imran Khan on May 9 events
Khan also addressed the May 9 attacks on military installations, which Pakistan blamed on Indian involvement. He alleged the violence was orchestrated as part of the “London Plan” to dismantle the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), the country’s largest political party.
Calling the violence a “premediated plan,” Khan accused the authorities of jailing several PTI leaders and supporters without due process. He further claimed that anti-terrorism courts and some judges were complicit in the crackdown. “Not a single judge has the courage to demand those tapes and deliver a verdict based on evidence,” Khan said, referencing the courts’ refusal to review CCTV footage.
Demanding accountability, Khan called for a judicial commission to investigate the incidents of May 9 and November 26, 2024. He sharply criticised the judiciary, calling it a disgrace. “They are driven not by justice but by a desire to protect their own jobs and privileges,” Khan said.
(With PTI inputs)