K-P govt rejects report as fabricated, announces move to pursue action against the publication
Imran Khan and wife Bushra Bibi. Photo: File
British magazine The Economist has claimed that former prime minister Imran Khan’s wife Bushra Bibi exerted influence over key government decisions during her husband’s tenure. However, the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government has rejected the report, terming it fabricated and politically motivated.
The Economist published a special report discussing the role of Bushra Bibi during Imran Khan’s government. The magazine alleged that Khan’s third marriage raised serious questions not only about his personal life but also about the decision-making processes within his administration.
The report, quoting individuals, said to be close to the former prime minister, claimed that Bushra Bibi attempted to influence important government appointments and day-to-day matters, creating what it described as an atmosphere of ‘spiritual consultation’ around state affairs.
The article by senior journalist Owen Bennett-Jones further alleged that some individuals within a key security institution provided information to Bushra Bibi, which she would then relay to Imran Khan as though it were based on spiritual insight. These claims, the report argued, contributed to concerns that ‘unusual spiritual influence’ shaped certain decisions during the PTI government.
K-P government denounces report as ‘propaganda’
The K-P government has dismissed the report, announcing it will pursue action against the British magazine The Economist at an international forum.
In a detailed statement, K-P Information Minister Shafiullah Jan said the article was ‘baseless, factually incorrect, and driven by political propaganda’. He accused the magazine of presenting unverified stories, anonymous allegations, and statements from political opponents.
He said, incorporating domestic gossip and hearsay into political analysis was ‘a violation of journalistic ethics’, adding that the claim regarding Bushra Bibi’s interference in governance was ‘completely fabricated’.
Shafiullah Jan said, records of the federal cabinet, the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC), the National Security Committee (NSC), and parliamentary proceedings contradicted the claims made in the report. “No officer or institution has ever reported any such interference,” Jan noted.
He further alleged that the ruling PML-N was ‘so fearful of Imran Khan that they are inventing new dramas every day’, accusing the party of using the media to pursue ‘malicious political goals’.
The minister said the report was part of a broader campaign to malign Imran Khan, adding that Bushra Bibi was already facing imprisonment despite being ‘innocent’, while political opponents continued ‘character assassination through cheap tactics’.
Shafiullah Jan reiterated that the K-P government would take the matter to an international platform, asserting that The Economist and others publishing such stories were ‘compromising their credibility’.
