Bushra Bibi ‘didn’t mention Saudi Arabia at all’, clarifies PTI founder

RAWALPINDI: The PTI founder defended his wife, Bushra Bibi, after her remarks allegedly accusing Saudi Arabia of involvement in his government’s ouster sparked controversy. He claimed that her statement was “deliberately taken out of context to drag our brotherly country into an unnecessary dispute.”

In a statement shared on his official X account, the PTI founder, who has been detained at Adiala Jail since August last year, clarified that Bushra Bibi “didn’t mention Saudi Arabia at all.”

This response followed her rare video message ahead of PTI’s “do-or-die” protest, in which she implied Saudi involvement, claiming that former army chief General (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa began receiving calls from Saudi officials after Khan’s visit to Madinah.

She alleged that these calls initiated a smear campaign against her husband, branding him a “Jewish agent.”

Bushra Bibi’s remarks drew criticism from government officials, who labeled them a “suicide attack” on Pakistan-Saudi relations.

However, the PTI founder dismissed these claims, asserting that his relationship with Saudi Arabia remains strong. He highlighted the support of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, stating that after the assassination attempt on him in Wazirabad in November 2022, one of the first calls he received was through the Saudi embassy.

He also noted Saudi Arabia’s critical role in facilitating a successful OIC foreign ministers’ conference in Islamabad just two weeks before his government’s removal.

He reiterated his long-standing claim that his government was toppled through conspiracies orchestrated by General Bajwa, accusing the former army chief of obstructing investigations into the matter.

The PTI leader emphasized that Bushra Bibi has no political role and merely conveyed his message to the public about the November 24 protest.

Calling the day an opportunity to “break free from slavery,” Khan urged the nation to rise against the suspension of the rule of law, constitution, and human rights. He encouraged Pakistanis to choose between “the yoke of slavery like Bahadur Shah Zafar or the crown of freedom like Tipu Sultan.”