2 weeks Ago
Bushra Bibi, the wife of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder and former prime minister Imran Khan, has been booked in a number of legal cases in different cities across Punjab following her controversial video statement, The News reported. The charges imposed in the cases fall under the Telegraph Act of 1885, the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act 2016 (PECA-2016), and other legal provisions. As per details, one case each has been registered at police stations in Dera Ghazi Khan, Layyah, and Rajanpur under the Telegraph Act of 1885.
In one of these complaints, the plaintiff alleged that Bushra's video statement had caused emotional distress to the Pakistani public, while another alleged that it was a high-level conspiracy against the country and the nation. Separately, Multan's Qutabpur police registered a case against Bushra under the Prevention of Electronic Crime Act 2016 (PECA-2016), with the complainant contending that Bushra Bibi was spreading hatred against Pakistan Army, brotherly Islamic country Saudi Arabia and former chief of army staff General (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa, as well as religious hatred. Section 298 of the Pakistan Penal Code — pertaining to punishment for disrespecting the family, wives and companions of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) — was also added to the case.
The punishment for the crime is a minimum of three years in prison and a nominal penalty and it is bailable. In Gujranwala, two other cases were registered against Bushra at different police stations under serious offences, with one of the complainants alleging that Bushra's statement was tantamount to inflicting a blow to long-standing relations between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia and fueling religious hatred. Earlier, Sadar Gujranwala police registered a case under the provisions of the Telegraph Act against Bushra on the complaint of Muhammad Ali, a resident of Bakhtewala.
An FIR was registered at Bahawalnagar City B-Division Police Station as well under the Telegraph Act. It may be noted that Bushra was released from Rawalpindi's Adiala jail on bail last month after remaining behind bars for around nine months in the new Toshakhana case. In a rare statement, the former first lady accused Saudi Arabia of playing a role in the ouster of the Imran Khan-led government in 2022, and urged PTI supporters to join the much-hyped protest rally in Islamabad today.
The statement sparked controversy, drawing fire from all quarters, but PTI clarified it was “taken out of context”. Blaming the media for distorting the former first lady’s statement, PTI leader Barrister Mohammad Said said: “Bushra Bibi did not level any allegation against Saudi Arabia or Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.” Meanwhile, Imran Khan had also said in a message from Adiala jail that the statement was “deliberately taken out of context to draw our brotherly country into a needless controversy".
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