Islamabad: It was the former chief general of the Army Qamar Javed Bajwa who initially brought the issue to the attention of the then Prime Minister Imran Khan, a folder that contains details of alleged corruption linked to Bushra Bibi, the first lady at that time.
Khan, however, immediately retreated, according to the reports, he told Bajwa: “Bushra Bibi is my red line.”
According to experts familiar with the exchange, Khan ruled out the content of the folder as “unilateral.” When Bajwa suggested that the prime minister investigated the links of people close to Bushra Bibi, including Farah Gogi, then Punjab Prime Minister Usman Buzdar, and others, Khan once again reiterated that Bushra Bibi was out of the limits.
Later, the then General Director of the Lieutenant General of Intelligence between Services (ISI) also Munir (now the Field Marshal) tried to inform the prime minister in the same accusations. This did not sit well with Khan, who in 24 hours called Bajwa and demanded the elimination of Munir from the higher intelligence post.
The sources say that Bajwa tried to pacify the prime minister, but Khan remained firm and insisted that Munir was replaced. Khan proposed that Gen Faiz Hameed for the role of DG ISI, despite the fact that Hameed's name was not included in the official panel sent for the approval of the Prime Minister.
While Khan continued to press for the elimination of General Munir, Bajwa advised him to at least invite the Extrover DG for farewell tea, a gesture of protocol and respect. Khan refused.
In a recent statement issued through its official account on the social networks “X”, Khan confirmed that he had eliminated General Asi and said he later tried to communicate with Bushra Bibi through intermediaries, but she refused to talk to him.
Neither Khan explained who these intermediaries were nor the claim has been confirmed by any independent source.
This account strongly contrasts with Khan's previous public position. In May 2023, responding to a Telegraph report that claimed that Gen Munir was fired because he tried to investigate the corruption that involves Bushra Bibi and his intimate circle, Khan categorically denied the story. “This is completely false,” he wrote on a tweet. “Nor did Gen show me any proof of my wife's corruption, nor did I give it up for that.”
The telegraph He had reported that the Munir gene, during his brief period as Chief of ISI, faced Khan in 2019 after expressing concerns about financial treatment around Bushra Bibi. He was withdrawn from his position only eight months in what was expected to be a period of three years.
Interestingly, in November 2022, Khan supported the appointment of Gen Munir as head of the Army staff. A few weeks before this appointment, Khan had allegedly called a long march to block the appointment of GEN equation as Army Chief.
Although the decision regarding the appointment of the Army Chief legally rested with the acting prime minister, the then president of the PTI, Dr. Arif Alvi, flew to Lahore to meet with Khan and publicly indicate Khan's support from the promotion of General Munir.
Originally published in the news
