22 November, 2024; In a dramatic new twist to the ongoing political saga in Pakistan, Bushra Bibi, the wife of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, has accused the Saudi government of being involved in a conspiracy to oust her husband from power. She claimed that following their visit to Saudi Arabia, an attempt was made to tarnish Imran Khan’s image, branding him a “Jewish agent” and undermining his credibility both domestically and internationally.
The accusation came during an interview where Bushra Bibi, a significant figure in Pakistan’s political landscape, suggested that external forces, particularly the Saudi authorities, played a role in orchestrating Khan’s political downfall. According to her, the smear campaign against Imran Khan intensified after their visit to Saudi Arabia, a country traditionally seen as a key ally of Pakistan. Bushra claimed that certain elements within the Saudi government sought to tarnish her husband’s reputation by promoting allegations that he was aligned with Jewish interests, a narrative that had been used in Pakistani politics to discredit individuals seen as too Western-leaning.
This controversy has intensified the already fraught political climate in Pakistan, where Imran Khan, the chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, was removed from office through a no-confidence vote in April 2022. Khan has repeatedly accused his political rivals, including the military establishment and foreign powers, of being involved in a plot to overthrow his government.
However, the claims made by Bushra Bibi have been swiftly rejected by General (retd.) Qamar Javed Bajwa, Pakistan’s former Chief of Army Staff, who was at the center of much of the controversy surrounding Khan’s ouster. Bajwa strongly denied any involvement in a conspiracy against the former prime minister and dismissed the allegations as baseless. He argued that the military’s involvement in politics had been minimal, particularly in the case of Khan’s removal, and that the situation was purely a result of domestic political dynamics.
The allegations from Bushra Bibi have further polarized the political scene in Pakistan, with Imran Khan’s supporters rallying behind his claims of being the victim of an international conspiracy. On the other hand, critics accuse Khan and his allies of attempting to shift blame for their own political failures onto external actors, rather than addressing the domestic issues that led to his downfall.
The role of Saudi Arabia in Pakistan’s political crisis is a delicate subject. Pakistan has long relied on Saudi Arabia for economic and diplomatic support, and the two countries share close ties, particularly in matters related to the Islamic world and regional security. However, with Pakistan’s shifting political dynamics and Imran Khan’s critical stance towards certain foreign policies, particularly in relation to the West and the Middle East, some analysts believe that tensions between Khan and Saudi officials may have played a role in his ouster.
While the debate over Khan’s removal and the alleged foreign involvement continues, Pakistan remains in a state of political instability, with the opposition parties, military establishment, and government in an ongoing struggle for influence and control.
As the situation develops, the allegations made by Bushra Bibi will likely continue to fuel controversy and deepen the divides within Pakistan’s already fragmented political landscape. The truth of the claims made about foreign involvement, including those surrounding Saudi Arabia, may remain shrouded in uncertainty, but they have undoubtedly added another layer of complexity to the country’s volatile political scene.
