Who is Bushra Bibi, Pakistan ex-PM Imran Khan's wife leading protests?

By Ariba Shahid

Bushra Khan, the wife of Pakistan's former Prime Minister Imran Khan, emerged from the shadows this week to lead one of the country's largest protests, mobilizing thousands in support of her jailed husband.

Born Bushra Riaz Watto, she changed her name to Khan after her marriage. Her husband and followers commonly refer to her as Bushra Bibi or Bushra Begum, titles that denote respect in the Urdu language.

Bushra entered the capital Islamabad this week with thousands of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party supporters who breached heavy security force barricades. Not far from the country's parliament, she addressed supporters from atop a truck near the historic square of D-Chowk where they vowed to hold a sit-in until Khan was freed.

"You all need to promise that until Khan is amongst us, you won't leave D-Chowk," said Bushra in the first time she had addressed a public rally.

Underscoring her growing active role in PTI's strategy, she insisted on holding the protest at the central, sensitive location, at odds with Khan's instructions to gather on the capital's outskirts, according to party officials.

However, after a massive midnight raid by security forces following days of deadly clashes, the protesters dispersed and party officials said Bushra escaped to the nearby PTI stronghold of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

PTI said it was temporarily suspending the protests.

WHO IS BUSHRA BIBI?

Bushra Bibi, who is in her late 40s, has kept a low profile since marrying Imran Khan in a secret 2018 ceremony. It was his third marriage and her second.

They were charged with not completing the waiting period mandated by Islam after her previous marriage, although a court this year overturned the conviction.

She was released from prison in October after nine months for a case involving the illegal sale of state gifts.

Bushra was previously married for around 30 years. She hails from a family of landowners in Punjab, but little is known about her early life.

Bushra is a devotee of Fariduddin Masud Ganjshakar, or Baba Farid, a revered Muslim mystic and Sufi saint whose shrine is located in her ex-husband's hometown of Pakpattan in Punjab.

She usually appears in public with her face covered by a veil, dressed in a flowing plain black or white abaya, or robe.

Pakistanis who admire Bushra's devotion to the saint call her a spiritual leader while Khan's opponents accuse her of practicing sorcery, a claim his aides have repeatedly denied.

It was not clear when or how Khan met Bushra, but former aide Aun Chaudhry said Khan was very impressed with her spirituality.

WHAT IS NEXT FOR BUSHRA BIBI?

Political leadership is often passed within families across South Asia.

Women have played a significant role in Pakistan's turbulent political history, rallying support for detained relatives, such as the country's first female Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.

As a young woman, she spoke out defiantly in support of her father President Zulfikar Ali Bhutto who was imprisoned and executed in 1979 under the military regime of late General Zia-ul-Haq.

Zulfikar Bukhari, PTI's spokesperson and Khan's close aide, said Bushra still wanted to lead a private life.

"If she has come out and led this protest, it's on the orders of Imran Khan and the people will obviously rally behind her unitedly because she is the wife of Imran Khan," he said, adding her near year-long imprisonment has earned her supporters' admiration which had helped to mobilise the large numbers of protesters.

Mazhar Abbas, a journalist and political analyst, said Bushra was now acting like a de-facto party leader even without formally holding office.

"Her posture is different and even the government is also targeting her," said Abbas.

Without naming Bushra, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi told media the destruction during the protests this week was caused by "one woman". He also said that the root cause of the unrest was a "hidden hand."

Though it was not clear how PTI would regroup, some analysts said that Bushra would likely continue to act as a rallying figure while Khan remained behind bars.

"Putting Bibi at the forefront of these protests is a politically savvy move, because of her relationship to Khan. That gives her a level of authenticity that appeals to protesters and will bolster their commitment to the cause," said Michael Kugelman, director of the Wilson Center's South Asia Institute.