Bushra Bibi’s march for Imran Khan disappears

A charred truck, empty tear gas canisters and posters of former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan — that’s all that’s left of the massive protests led by Khan’s wife Bushra Bibi that led to The entire capital was put on lockdown.

Just a day earlier, faith healer Bibi, wrapped in a white scarf and her face covered with a white veil, stood atop a shipping container on the edge of the city as thousands of her husband’s loyal followers waved flags and chanted beneath her Slogans.

“My children and my brothers! You have to stand with me,” she shouted Tuesday afternoon, her voice cutting through the deafening roar of the crowd.

“But even if you don’t,” she continued, “I’ll still stand firm.

“This is not just about my husband. This is about this country and its leaders.

Some Pakistani political observers noted that this was her political debut.

But when the sun rose on Wednesday morning, there was no sign of Bushila Bibi or the thousands of protesters who marched across the country to the center of the capital to demand the jailed leader’s release.

It’s unclear exactly what happened to the so-called “final march” and Bush Rabbit as the city fell into darkness.

All witnesses like Samia* can say with certainty that the lights suddenly went out and D Chowk Square, where they had gathered, was plunged into darkness.

As loud screams and tear gas filled the square, Samia described holding her husband on the sidewalk, covered in blood. The gun shot him in the shoulder.

“Everyone was running for their lives,” she later told BBC Urdu at a hospital in Islamabad, adding that it was “like the end of the world or a war”.

“I had his blood on my hands and there was no end to the screaming.”

But how did the tide turn so suddenly and decisively?

Just hours ago, protesters finally arrived at D Chowk late Tuesday afternoon. They overcame days of tear gas shelling and a maze of roadblocks to reach the city center.

Many of them are supporters and workers of Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party.

He called for the march from his jail cell, where he has been for more than a year on what he said were politically motivated charges.

Now, Bibi—his third wife, who has been shrouded in mystery and out of the public eye since their surprise marriage in 2018—is leading the charge.

“We will not go back unless Khan is with us,” she declared as the procession reached D Chowk, deep in the heart of Islamabad’s government district.

Even the choice of destination – where her husband once led a successful sit-in – was Bibi’s choice, in the face of opposition from other party leaders and calls from the government to choose another gathering point, people familiar with the matter said.

It may come as a surprise that she’s at the forefront. Bibi himself was recently released from prison and is often described as private and apolitical. Little is known about her early life, other than the fact that she was a spiritual guide long before she met Khan. Her teachings, rooted in Sufi tradition, have attracted many followers – including Khan himself.

Is she planning to enter politics, or is her sudden appearance in the thick of politics a bid to keep Imran Khan’s party afloat while he is behind bars?

To critics, the move conflicts with Imran Khan’s often-stated opposition to dynastic politics.

It didn’t take long to think about the possibilities.

After the lights went out, witnesses said police began firing a new round of tear gas at around 21:30 local time (16:30 GMT).

More than an hour later, the crackdown was in full swing.

At some point in the chaos, Bushila Bibi left.

Footage on social media appeared to show her changing cars and leaving the scene. The BBC was unable to verify the footage.

When the dust settled, her vessel had been set on fire by unknown persons.

Authorities said that as of 1:00 a.m., all protesters had fled.

Witnesses described chaotic scenes, with tear gas fired and police rounding up protesters.

One of them, Amin Khan, wore an oxygen mask and said he went into the march knowing, “Either I bring back Imran Khan or I will be shot.”

Authorities denied shooting at protesters. They also said some protesters were carrying guns.

The BBC saw hospital records of patients with gunshot wounds.

However, government spokesman Atala Talal told the BBC that the hospital denied receiving or treating gunshot victims.

He added that “all security personnel deployed on the ground are prohibited” from possessing live ammunition during the protests.

But one doctor told BBC Urdu he had never performed so many operations on gunshot wounds in one night.

“Some of the injured were in critical condition and we had to start surgery immediately rather than wait for anesthesia,” he said.

While an official death toll has not yet been announced, the BBC has confirmed to local hospitals that at least five people have died.

Police said at least 500 protesters were arrested that night and detained at police stations. PTI claimed that someone was missing.

One person in particular has not been seen for days: Bushra Bibi.

“She abandoned us,” said a PTI supporter.

Others defended her. “It’s not her fault,” another insisted. “She was forced to leave by party leaders.”

Political commentators were harsher.

“Her exit has damaged her political career before it even began,” said journalist and analyst Mehmal Sarfraz.

But is this what she wants?

Khan has previously dismissed any notion that his wife might have political ambitions of her own – “She has only conveyed my message,” he said in a statement posted on his X account.

Analyst Imtiaz Gul called her involvement “an extraordinary step under extraordinary circumstances” in an interview with BBC Urdu.

Gul believes that Bushila Bibi’s role today is just to “keep the party and its workers active in Imran Khan’s absence”.

Some PTI members felt the same way, arguing that she “only stepped in because Khan deeply trusted her”.

Still, insiders often whisper that she was pulling the strings — advising her husband on his political appointments and directing high-stakes decisions during his tenure.

The first more direct intervention came earlier this month, when she urged PTI leaders to convene a meeting to support Khan’s rally call.

Pakistan Defense Minister Khawaja Asif accused her of “opportunism” and claimed she saw “her future as a political leader”.

But Asma Faiz, associate professor of political science at the Lahore University of Management Sciences, suspects that the PTI leadership may have simply underestimated Bibi.

“There is a general perception that she is an apolitical figure and therefore she does not pose a threat,” she told AFP.

“However, the events of the past few days have shown a different side of Bushira Bibi.”

But it may not matter what analysts and politicians think. Many PTI supporters still see her as linked to Imran Khan. It’s clear that her presence is enough to liven up the base.

“She was the one who really wanted to get him out,” said Asim Ali, a resident of Islamabad. “I trust her. Absolutely!

Additional reporting by Joel Guinto and Yvette Tan