After Imran Khan’s spouse Bushra Bibi was released from Adiala Jail last week, social media is abuzz about an alleged deal between the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the establishment, a claim that the party consistently denies.
Journalist Ansar Abbasi, in his latest column, wrote that if the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ali Amin Gandapur “is telling his colleagues and party leaders that he has played a role in getting Bushra Bibi released from jail,” then questions will naturally arise.
Abbasi also stated that after speaking to Gandapur about the possibility of any alleged deal, the CM “avoided the topic.”
However, KP government spokesperson Barrister Saif confirmed to Abbasi that Gandapur had indeed discussed his role in Bushra Bibi’s release.
According to Ansar, PTI’s style and politics in the coming days will reveal whether the alleged deal was really struck for getting Khan’s spouse released.
“Last week, I was told by the establishment that Bushra Bibi would not be re-arrested if the Islamabad High Court decided to release her on bail. A senior PTI leader also told me that Gandapur was told earlier that Bushra Bibi would not be re-arrested if she was granted bail by the courts,” revealed the senior journalist.
According to Ansar, no concrete evidence exists of any deal; however, he also wrote about the nature of a possible deal, if any.
“When I asked Gandapur Sahib yesterday whether Tehreek-e-Insaf will continue to target the army and the army chief, his answer was that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf is neither against the institution nor against any individual,” wrote Abbasi.
According to Abbasi’s analysis, “It could be that Tehreek-e-Insaaf will not directly criticize the Army Chief and the economy of Pakistan.”
Ansar stated that this will be revealed in the coming days because if PTI doesn’t criticise the Army or the economy, then it would mean that the PTI “has made a fundamental change in its policy which aims to avoid a direct fight with the army.”
If the party continues its policy of targeting the military or the COAS like the last two years, then it would mean there is no deal, according to Asar Abbasi.
Ansar wrote, “It is a known fact that the economy is the government’s as well as Army Chief’s first priority, and that is why the condition of not politicizing the economy would be put for Bushra Bibi’s release.”
