Who is Bushra Bibi, Imran Khan’s reclusive wife now leading political protests in Pakistan?

Bushra Bibi is taking centre stage in Pakistani politics for the first time and is expected to become a rallying figure like her husband, Imran Khan

Bushra Bibi, who previously avoided the spotlight, has taken centre stage in her husband Imran Khan’s political party during its protest march to Islamabad that have led to deadly clashes with security forces.

Bushra Bibi, the third wife of the cricketer-turned-politician, narrowly escaped after her convoy came under attack and was later set on fire.

She has taken up a more active role in Mr Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) after being jailed for nine months following conviction in an unlawful marriage and corruption case.

Mr Khan and his wife were charged with illegally selling gifts worth more than 140 million rupees ($501,000; £3,94,988) in state possession and received during his 2018-2022 premiership.

However, a court overturned the conviction of unlawful marriage charges and granted her bail in the corruption case. She was finally released from prison in October while her husband still remains in jail. He has since been fighting over 150 cases that he claims are politically motivated.

Who is Bushra Bibi?

Born Bushra Riaz Watto, Bushra Bibi changed her name after her marriage to the former Pakistani cricket star in 2018. Her title Bibi in Urdu denotes respect and is used by Muslim women in South Asia.

She is believed to be in her 40s and is an influential figure in Pakistan’s Sufi circle for her devotion to Sufism – a mystical and ascetic form of Islam that emphasises the inner, spiritual dimension of the religious practice.

Bushra Bibi, centre, wife of imprisoned former premier Imran Khan and leaders of Khan's party lead their supporters during a rally demanding Khan's release (AP)

The two were married in a secret ceremony months before Mr Khan ascended to premiership for the first time. It was Mr Khan’s third marriage after two divorces.

Mr Khan was previously married to Britain’s Jemima Goldsmith and journalist Reham Khan.

Mr Khan calls Bushra Bibi his spiritual leader for her devotion to Sufism. The former first lady is believed to be a devotee of the 13^th century mystic, Fariduddin Masud Ganjshakar, more popularly known as Baba Farid. He is revered as a Muslim mystic and Sufi saint whose shrine is located in Pakpattan in Pakistan’s Punjab province.

Pakistan Politics (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

Bushra Bibi has remained a figure of interest and intrigue in Pakistan. She belongs to a family of landowners in Punjab and details about her early life in public domain are scarce.

She was earlier married to Khawar Farid Maneka, a customs officer from a politically influential Punjab family and has five children from her first marriage.

A man reads a newspaper reporting on the imprisonment sentence against former Prime Minister Imran Khan in Peshawar, (EPA)

She rarely appears in the media or follows Mr Khan on his international diplomatic trips with the exception of her visits to Saudi Arabia, where the couple was filmed at the holy Muslim cities of Mecca and Medina.

In a rare interview, she told the local HUM news network in 2018 that "people would come to see me to get closer to God and the Prophet".

"Every moment of Khan sahib’s life is now dedicated to God, the Prophet, and the love for Baba Farid,” she said.

Imran Khan talks to the media before signing documents to submit surety bond over his bail in different cases, at an office of Lahore High Court in Lahore, Pakistan, in 2023 (AP)

Bushra Bibi has earlier also defended her public appearances in veil. "My veil doesn’t define that I am not modern. I should be judged on the basis of my personality, not my face," she said.

She is credited with inspiring Mr Khan to establish the Al-Qadir Trust, a non-governmental organisation devoted to spirituality and Islamic teachings, according to members of PTI.

However, the trust became embroiled in a legal case and reason for Mr Khan’s arrest in May last year after corruption charges were levelled against the couple. Mr Khan promoted the trust at official events, and the couple were the sole trustees, according to law minister Azam Nazeer Tarar.

Mr Khan’s party spokesperson Farrukh Habib told Reuters that the couple drew no financial benefits from the trust.

Why is she leading protests?

Bushra Bibi was seen in an open-roof vehicle with other stalwarts of the party and raised slogans as thousands of people marched alongside her to hold protests and demand the release of her husband who remains in jail.

She addressed thousands of supporters for the first time from atop a truck near the historic D-Chowk square where they vowed to hold a sit-in until Mr Khan was freed.

“You all need to promise that until Khan is amongst us, you won’t leave D-Chowk,” she said.

A rally truck used by Bushra Bibi, the wife of Pakistan's former prime minister Imran Khan, burns near the red zone after a protest to demand Khan's release (AFP via Getty Images)

With her growing influence in PTI in the absence of the popular leader, she has become the latest target of the Pakistani government ministers, who have avoided mentioning her by name.

Interior minister Mohsin Naqvi told media the destruction during the protests this week was caused by “one woman”, adding that the root cause of the unrest was a “hidden hand”.

Zulfikar Bukhari, PTI’s spokesperson and Mr Khan’s close aide, said Bushra Bibi, who wanted to lead a private life, was taking a more active role on instructions of her husband.

Bushra Bibi and Khan during a hearing in 2023 (AFP/Getty)

“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,” Mr Bukhari said.

He added that her near year-long imprisonment has earned her supporters’ admiration which had helped to mobilise the large numbers of protesters.

Underscoring her growing active role in PTI’s strategy, she insisted on holding the protest at a central and sensitive location, according to party officials.

Concerns were raised over her whereabouts after the vehicle in which she was leading the protest was set on fire. But PTI officials said she was evacuated in time and taken to the nearby PTI stronghold of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province after they received intelligence that her convoy could be attacked as forces launched a midnight crackdown to disperse the crowd.

Some analysts said that she would likely continue to act as a rallying figure while Mr 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.