Imran Khan dismisses claims of Saudi involvement in his ouster

Former Prime Minister Imran Khan has defended his wife, Bushra Bibi, following her recent remarks accusing Saudi Arabia of being involved in the ouster of his government.

In a statement issued through his official X handle, Khan denied that his wife had specifically mentioned Saudi Arabia, stating that her comments were “deliberately taken out of context” to provoke unnecessary controversy.

Bushra Bibi, in a rare video message ahead of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party’s protest, claimed that when Imran Khan visited Madina, former Army Chief Gen (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa began receiving calls from Saudi officials, suggesting their involvement in his government’s removal.

She alleged that these calls led to a smear campaign against Imran Khan, with claims that he was a “Jewish agent.”

The former first lady’s comments sparked backlash from government officials, who condemned them as a “suicide attack” aimed at damaging the friendly relations between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.

In response, Imran Khan reiterated that he has “excellent relations” with Saudi Arabia. He highlighted that, following the attack on him in Wazirabad, one of the first calls he received was from Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, facilitated through the Saudi embassy.

Khan noted that Saudi Arabia has consistently supported Pakistan in difficult times.