ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) senior leader Fawad Chaudhry announced on Tuesday that Bushra Bibi, the former first lady, plans to take legal action against Maryam Nawaz, the leader of Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N), over allegations of bribery. According to Fawad Chaudhry, Maryam Nawaz had accused Bushra Bibi of accepting bribes in exchange for influencing official decisions during the PTI-led government.
Legal Action to Follow
- Fawad Chaudhry stated that Bushra Bibi would first send a defamation notice to Maryam Nawaz for making what he described as baseless allegations.
- After that, Bushra Bibi intends to file a criminal case against Maryam Nawaz for the corruption claims.
Accusations by Maryam Nawaz
- Maryam Nawaz had repeatedly alleged that Bushra Bibi was involved in corruption during the tenure of Imran Khan’s government, specifically accusing her of receiving bribes, including a diamond set, in exchange for influencing government decisions.
- Maryam also claimed that Farhat Shezadi, a close associate of Bushra Bibi, played an active role in the administration of Usman Buzdar-led Punjab government and received bribes for official transfers and postings.
Fawad Chaudhry’s Defense of Bushra Bibi
- Fawad Chaudhry emphasized that Bushra Bibi had remained apolitical and was mostly involved in charitable work, such as visiting shelter homes (panahgahs).
- He criticized Maryam Nawaz for continuing to make accusations despite Bushra Bibi’s apolitical stance.
PTI Criticizes Chief Election Commissioner
- In the same press conference, Fawad Chaudhry also took aim at Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikander Sultan Raja, accusing him of acting as a “crony” of the ruling government.
- He pointed out that while the government claims a lack of funds for elections, it had spent 320 million rupees on purchasing land for the Election Commission office in Sargodha.
- PTI had already filed a reference against the CEC, but Fawad claimed no action was taken. Now, PTI plans to send a new reference demanding the CEC’s dismissal, accusing him of being part of a conspiracy to deprive people of their right to vote.