The Economist explores controversial mix of politics and spirituality around Imran-Bushra duo

ISLAMABAD: According to a report by the international organization The Economist, former Prime Minister Imran Khan presented the PTI as a public platform against corruption and promised an Islamic welfare state, but his third marriage to Bushra Bibi changed both his personal and political life.

The report claims that Bushra Bibi, a spiritual figure of Sufi origin from Punjab, exercised extensive influence over Imran Khan’s daily decisions to government appointments.

According to the report, dreams, face reading, and spiritual rituals were given excessive importance in Imran Khan’s life and government decisions.

Former employees claimed that practices such as getting rid of demons through meat, animal heads, and liver were performed in Bani Gala, which highlights the atmosphere of superstition surrounding the national leadership.

Bushra Bibi’s alleged influence and fear in Bani Gala

The report quoted a former cabinet member as saying that Bushra Bibi had “complete interference” in government affairs.

It was claimed that meetings with Imran Khan, official affairs and even flights were arranged with Bushra Bibi’s approval, which created fear and uncertainty in inner circles.

The report, citing key party supporters including Jahangir Tareen, said that some people had expressed concerns about the use of “black magic”, and some loyal figures were allegedly sidelined following these concerns.

This move reinforced the impression that party decisions were not made under any formal institutional system but according to personal likes or dislikes.

Role of the military establishment and claims of inside connections

The report also states that Imran Khan’s victory in 2018 was possible with the help of the army and the ISI, which contradicts the PTI’s slogan of ‘accountable revolution’.

According to some analysts, some elements of the ISI allegedly kept passing information to Imran Khan through the Piran associated with Bushra Bibi, which strengthened his spiritual conviction.

The report claims that Lt. Gen. Asim Munir was removed after he allegedly pointed out corruption surrounding Bushra Bibi. This move has been termed as contradictory to Imran Khan’s claim of ‘principled politics’.

According to the report, Imran Khan could not implement his major election promise of millions of houses and jobs and later admitted that it was not possible in one term.

After an economic crisis, political confrontation and conflict with the establishment, he was ousted from power through a vote of no confidence.

Later, both Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi were sent to jail in several cases, including the Tosha Khana gifts and the Qadir University case, which dealt a severe blow to Imran Khan’s ‘clean-handed’ political identity.

Imran Khan’s popularity and critical narrative

Although Imran Khan is still widely regarded as a ‘moral authority’ despite the restrictions and media silence on him, critics say that he proved to be naive, fell under the influence of the wrong people, relied too much on spiritual and informal characters and came to power in alliance with the very establishment he is fighting against today.

The report says that the PTI revolved around a single personality, Imran Khan, rather than a formal institutional party. Attacks on some military and historical installations by party workers following their arrest undermined the PTI’s ‘protector of institutions’ narrative.

Overall, this report portrays Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi as a pair who combined politics, spirituality and informal sources of power to create a controversial governance model that ultimately backfired on them.