PTI vows legal action over report on Bushra Bibi’s ‘influence’ during PTI govt

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Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Barrister Gohar Khan said on Saturday that the party would initiate legal action against a British media report on former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s wife Basheer Bibi, saying such articles were “sponsored”.

Speaking exclusively to Geo News, the PTI chief termed the economist’s report as “inflammatory and false”, saying the report was aimed at defaming the PTI founder and his spouse.

“Earlier, false charges related to IDDAT were leveled against him, acquitting him,” he added.

His statements were widely debated by the Economist Report, his relationship with Bashara Bibi, the founder of the PTI, and the political influence attributed to the controversies that shaped the former prime minister’s previous time in power.

The publication details how the two developed a close relationship through spiritual counselling, Bushra Bibi’s divorce and subsequent marriage to Khan and longstanding allegations—denied by the PTI—of their involvement in political decision-making, spiritual practices and influencing government appointments.

Barrister Gauhar said such a “fabricated report” would “not break Bashra Baby”.

“At a time when she is in jail, we condemn the publication of such articles,” he said, stressing that the allegations against the former first lady would be proven false in time.

Also, PTI’s Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif said the former first lady is facing a “deliberate and organized campaign” aimed at tarnishing her reputation.

Speaking to reporters in Peshawar, Barrister Saif said that despite her “illegal imprisonment”, she had shown “remarkable resilience”.

The PTI leader alleged that the “false allegations” against him were politically motivated and that he intended to gain an advantage against the former ruling party.

Reacting to the report, Muslim League (N) leaders Attaullah Tarar and Talal Chaudhry criticized the PTI founder and his wife.

Tarar said the jailed former prime minister had long “cloaked his decisions in spirituality”, alleging that “all major economic and political decisions were made by his wife”. He said that repeated allegations made by Khan against his opponents, including Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, were now being vilified internationally.

The information minister added that the PTI had a history of making “false allegations”, recalling the allegations made during the 2017 protests.

He said that Bushra Bibi influenced government decisions, adding that the PTI founder followed his instructions.

Meanwhile, Minister of State for Home Affairs Chaudhry accused the former first lady of playing an active political role and “controlling” key decisions during Khan’s tenure.

He said appointments, including those of provincial and senior officials, were effected through “magical methods”, repeating claims circulated in the media earlier.

Chaudhry referred to what he termed the “Goji-Pinki nexus”, referring to Bashara Bibi and his close friend Farah Shahadi (known as Farah Goji), claiming it was linked to personal gains, including financial irregularities linked to the former prime minister’s family residence and a $190 million settlement case.

He added that Bushra Bibi was involved in “controlling decisions in exchange for favors”, calling it a story of massive corruption.

The economist’s report at the heart of the controversy contains detailed accounts from family members, former household staff, and political associates of both Khan and Bashara Bibi.

She had raised concerns about her ex-husband’s concerns over the couple’s eventual marriage to Khan in 2018 and denied allegations by PTI that she dabbled in black magic and wielded significant influence over political and personal decisions.

The report also claimed that intelligence officials had given Khan information through his pirs (spiritual advisers), as well as accounts from former cabinet members who said he played an unusually prominent role in government deliberations.

With both Khan and Bushra Bibi under corruption charges, there has been speculation within the PTI about his possible influence over earlier decisions on possible political compromises.

Opinion within the party varies, with some senior figures urging Khan to stand down while others believe Bushra Bibi could push for a negotiated path, the Economist report said.