Bushra Bibi heckled outside Adiala jail

Lawyers, social media users condemn ‘targetting of women in politics’

RAWALPINDI:

In yet another incident widely criticised for "misogynist heckling", a group of men targeted Bushra Bibi, the wife of former prime minister Imran Khan, with disparaging slogans outside Adiala Jail on Monday.

Bushra, who is no stranger to jibes from her husband’s political rivals, arrived for the hearing of the £190 million settlement case when her vehicle was intercepted, and derogatory chants of "black magic unacceptable" echoed while scores of men surrounded her vehicle.

The distasteful incident took place as police officers present remained passive spectators amid sloganeering until she entered the jail premises.

The unsettling episode seems to have been prompted by the controversial interview of her former husband, Khawar Maneka, wherein he alleged Imran Khan's interference in his marital life with Bushra Bibi.

اڈیالہ جیل کے باہر نامعلوم مظاہرین نے چئیرمین پی ٹی آئی کی اہلیہ بشریٰ بی بی کی گاڑی کو گھیر لیا، عدت میں نکاح نامنظور کالا جادو نامنظور کے نعرے pic.twitter.com/6dhJPYzpWj

— Ghazanfar Abbas (@ghazanfarabbass) November 27, 2023

The incident has sparked indignation on social media, with many condemning the trend of dragging in and targeting women based on political differences.

Lawyer and rights activist Khadija Siddiqi took to ‘X’, voicing her shock while drawing attention to different treatments being doled out to prime minister Nawaz Sharif lately and Bushra Bibi. “A convict getting state protection and protocol! Meanwhile, police can’t even provide basic security to Bushra Bibi around the vicinity of jail.”

She questioned the authorities, asking, “Will there be an FIR against these harassers and hate mongers? Or FIRs only limited to stifling PTI?”

Read Imran moves SC for bail in £190m case

Meanwhile, Barrister Gohar Khan strongly condemned the “atrocity” and demanded action against all those “who tried to round up the vehicle of Bushra Bibi”.

Another social media user suspected a premeditated assault, suggesting, “After KPK's strong response to their fascism, they sent their goons to attack Bushra Bibi, even though she is not involved in politics. I never thought they would stoop so low.”

It may be recalled that the recent episode of verbal attacks on Bushra follows earlier instances of sexist remarks against her, notably condemned by Aurat March Karachi earlier this year.

PML-N leader Javed Latif had made derogatory comments regarding her, which were widely shared on social media.

In a video disseminated via PML-N's official Twitter handle, the former federal minister commented on her presence alone at a residence, stating, "The chaadar and the sanctity of the four walls have been violated," insinuating that her security was compromised.

He further made contentious remarks regarding her safety.

Al-Qadir Trust case

An accountability court of Islamabad rejected the request of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for any further physical remand of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan in the in the £190 million Al-Qadir Trust case on Thursday.

During the hearing, inside the Adiala Jail, where the PTI chairman was currently lodged, NAB investigation team sought five-day remand, saying that it wanted to verify the land registry of Al Qadir University. However, the court said that enough remand had been given to NAB so far.

Accountability Judge Muhammad Bashir said that there was reason for further physical remand and sent Imran into the judicial remand. The judge ordered the NAB team and the prosecutor to submit the reference [Challan] of this case on the next date of hearing on December 19.