ISLAMABAD: Bushra Bibi, wife of Pakistan’s former prime minister Imran Khan, on Saturday expressed serious concerns over the safety of her husband imprisoned in Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail, alleging that he was being held in inhuman conditions and given tainted food.
Speaking privately to reporters from the prison, Bushra also revealed fears for her life, according to The Express Tribune.
Bushra said Khan’s life was in danger after he was allegedly poisoned and shot in the past.
She added that their legal request for an investigation into the poisoning has yet to be heard in court.
Describing conditions inside the prison, Bushra, 49, alleged that Khan, 71, was being held in unsanitary conditions and given contaminated food.
During a visit to him at Attock Jail, she said Khan looked weak and had to spend the whole night removing bugs from his hair.
Bushra also criticised the treatment of political prisoners compared to convicted criminals, alleging that while other prisoners were being given VIP treatment, Khan was suffering without even basic amenities.
Khan has been lodged in Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail since his arrest in a corruption case in August last year and has been convicted in over 200 cases.
Responding to reporters’ questions about allegations that her food had been laced with toilet cleaner and her accusations against authorities, Bushra maintained that the allegations were true despite the lack of physical evidence.
Khan briefly intervened to warn his wife about the limitations of the media, sparking a brief protest from journalists in attendance.
Khan tried to shut Bushra down, saying “censored media will not broadcast what you say,” which prompted reporters to protest and claim that everything he said had been broadcast.
The hearing ended with Bushra emphasizing her willingness to state under oath that the charges against them and Khan were fabricated.
Despite Khan’s concerns, Bushra – who is also currently incarcerated – insisted on sharing her story with the media. She was originally arrested in connection with an un-Islamic marriage case.
In Islam, a woman cannot remarry until four months after her divorce or the death of her husband.
However, she remains jailed in the Toshakhana corruption case despite a Pakistani court on Saturday acquitting Khan and Bushra in the un-Islamic marriage case.
Published July 20, 2024 19:39 IST
