Case filed against Bushra Bibi over 'Medina' remarks

The case was filed under the Telegraph Act due to serious implications for Pakistan’s relations with Saudi Arabia.

Pakistan’s former First Lady, Bushra Bibi, is facing legal action under the Telegraph Act of 1885 after making a controversial remark's about her husband Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf founding chairman Imran Khan's visit to Medina.

The case, filed by a citizen in Punjab’s Dera Ghazi Khan district, accuses her of attempting to disrupt diplomatic relations between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, Express News reported.

The complaint was lodged by a man named Ghulam Yasin at the Jamal Khan police station. The First Information Report (FIR) alleges that Bushra Bibi’s comments aimed to harm Pakistan’s ties with Saudi Arabia, stirring public outrage and encouraging anti-diplomatic sentiment.

The complaint states that her remarks appeared to be a “premeditated scheme” to provoke negative emotions among the Pakistani public. The FIR further accuses her of offending public sentiment, highlighting that her actions violate laws intended to maintain public order and protect diplomatic ties.

Additionally, another case has also been filed against Bushra Bibi at the Mohammadpur Gumwala police station in Rajanpur, on behalf of a citizen named Hakim.

Similarly, in the Layyah district, a case was registered under Section 129 of the Telegraph Act, 1885, at the City police station by another individual, Sohail Ashfaq.

The remarks

Bushra Bibi, the wife of PTI founding chairman Imran Khan, stirred controversy with remarks about her husband's first visit to Medina, where he walked barefoot.

In a video, she said, "When Khan went to Mdina barefoot for the first time, as soon as he returned, General Bajwa immediately started receiving calls asking, 'What is this? What have you brought here?'"

She added that the callers expressed concerns, saying, "We are trying to abolish Shariah here, and you brought the overseers of Shariah with you. We do not want this."

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Bushra Bibi video message 24 November 2024 Islamabad De Chauk #imrankhanzindabad #imrankhanzindabad❤️

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Bushra Bibi further stated that she and Imran Khan had been targeted 'ever since, with filth being lobbed against the wife and Khan being called an agent of the jews (Yahoodis).'

She said "if this was not true General Bajwa and his family could be asked since they had shared these details with some one, which had reached Imran Khan."

Bushra Bibi then mentioned that 'later, while in power other government departments also provide reports, they too had told 'Imran Khan that this was the real story, that Khan is being punish for this, "for your country, for real freedom, for justice and for walking barefoot in Medina, this is what he is being punished for."'

Former Army Chief General (Retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa's reaction

Former Army Chief General (Retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa has strongly denied recent claims made by Bushra Bibi regarding the country’s relations with Saudi Arabia, calling her statement “100% false.”

In an exclusive conversation with Express News, General (Retd) Javed Bajwa rejected Bushra Bibi’s allegations, emphasising that no country would make such claims, particularly one with whom Pakistan has long-standing friendly ties.

He explained that during Bushra Bibi's visits to Saudi Arabia, including those to the holy sites of the Khana-e-Kaaba and the Prophet’s Mosque, she was welcomed with great honour, receiving numerous gifts.

General Bajwa further explained that both Imran and Bushra Bibi had visited Saudi Arabia multiple times, with the former army chief accompanying them during a trip in 2021. He questioned how any country could criticise the implementation of Sharia, noting that Saudi Arabia had rolled over billions of dollars in financial assistance to Pakistan.

Referring to the relationship with Saudi Arabia, Bajwa clarified that it had never deteriorated, citing a single instance in which ex foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi’s statement had caused some concerns in Riyadh.

Refuting Bushra Bibi’s accusations that she was criticised for her husband’s actions in Medina, Bajwa stated, "Such claims are unfounded. How can relations deteriorate when the Saudi Crown Prince himself came to receive us?"

Former Prime Minister Imran Khan

Yesterday, Imran Khan had come to the defence of his wife, Bushra Bibi, after her comments allegedly implicating Saudi Arabia in his government's ouster sparked backlash.

Imran Khan claimed that Bushra's words were “taken out of context” to create unnecessary controversy around Pakistan’s “brotherly” relationship with Saudi Arabia.

In a statement issued via his official X handle on Friday, Khan clarified that Bushra Bibi “didn’t mention Saudi Arabia at all.”

The former first lady had shared a rare video message a day earlier ahead of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party’s high-stakes protest scheduled for Sunday, accusing foreign influences and former army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa of colluding to oust her husband.

Imran Khan recalled that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman reached out to him after he was wounded in an assassination attempt last November, which took place while he was leading a protest march to Islamabad.