Fresh audio surfaces, purportedly of Bushra Bibi discussing ‘sale of watches’ with Zulfi Bukhari

Published December 8, 2022
This combination photo shows PTI chief Imran Khan’s wife Bushra Bibi and party leader Sayed Zulfikar Bukhari. — Photos; DawnNewsTV/Radio Pakistan
This combination photo shows PTI chief Imran Khan’s wife Bushra Bibi and party leader Sayed Zulfikar Bukhari. — Photos; DawnNewsTV/Radio Pakistan

Following weeks of a lull in the audio leaks saga, another clip surfaced on Thursday purportedly featuring PTI leader Zulfi Bukhari and Bushra Bibi — the wife of PTI Chairman Imran Khan — where the duo could be heard talking about the sale of [wristwatches] in the possession of the former premier.

The 21-second audio, which made the rounds on social media, begins with Zulfi and Bushra exchanging pleasantries before the latter talks about watches.

“There are a few [watches] of Khan sahib who wants them to be delivered to you so you could sell them. These watches are not in his use so he wants them to be sold off,” Bushra Bibi purportedly told Bukhari.

The conversation ends with Zulfi replying in absolute agreement, saying “sure, murshid. I will do it.”

PML-N’s Hina Pervez Butt, in her tweet, accused the ex-PM’s wife of indulging in the “business of watches” at the PM House.

“Bushra Bibi has established Niazi sahib as a confirmed thief.”

A series of audio recordings have surfaced of late, allegedly featuring the leadership of the PTI and PML-N holding informal conversations never meant to be heard by the public.

Some of the clips featured purported conversations between the PTI chief and his former ministers and principal secretary about a cipher that he has for long presented as evidence of a “foreign conspiracy” to oust him from office.

In October, an alleged audio of Imran was leaked to social media, featuring the PTI chief talking about the cipher with party leaders Shireen Mazari and Asad Umar.

The audio — slightly longer than a minute — was the second that was released in a day featuring the PTI chairman. In the clip, the trio were discussing the cipher and allegedly strategising on how to “play it up in the public”.

Earlier in the same day, an audio recording had surfaced featuring a voice — sounding like Imran’s — discussing “buying five” and “numbers game”.

Bukhari demands forensic audit of audio

Meanwhile, in a tweet later today, Bukhari said that he had neither sold nor bought a watch and demanded that a forensic audit of the audio should be immediately conducted.

“Earlier, it was being said that watches were sold to a person named Umar Zahoor through Farah Gujjar. But when a legal notice was served [to Zahoor], a new story popped up that I have sold the watches.

“I have neither bought or sold any watches,” the PTI leader tweeted.

Bukhari went on to say that “even college students can make such cut-copy-paste audio”.

“A forensic audit [of the audio] should be immediately conducted. I am ready to pay for it,” he added.

Later, in an interview with ARY News, Bukhari said that “if Khan sahab has a possession or asset and he wants me to sell it, I won’t have any problem admitting it because it’s not something illegal”.

“But if I haven’t sold it then how can I admit that I did,” he asked.

The PTI leader further termed the leaked conversation as “funny”, saying that a scenario had been created by copying his words from somewhere and pasting them elsewhere.

He also asserted that the former first lady had never told him to sell anything. “This [the leaks] is being done to distract people from the real issue of the economy.”

Opinion

Editorial

Geopolitical games
Updated 18 Dec, 2024

Geopolitical games

While Assad may be gone — and not many are mourning the end of his brutal rule — Syria’s future does not look promising.
Polio’s toll
18 Dec, 2024

Polio’s toll

MONDAY’s attacks on polio workers in Karak and Bannu that martyred Constable Irfanullah and wounded two ...
Development expenditure
18 Dec, 2024

Development expenditure

PAKISTAN’S infrastructure development woes are wide and deep. The country must annually spend at least 10pc of its...
Risky slope
Updated 17 Dec, 2024

Risky slope

Inflation likely to see an upward trajectory once high base effect tapers off.
Digital ID bill
Updated 17 Dec, 2024

Digital ID bill

Without privacy safeguards, a centralised digital ID system could be misused for surveillance.
Dangerous revisionism
Updated 17 Dec, 2024

Dangerous revisionism

When hatemongers call for digging up every mosque to see what lies beneath, there is a darker agenda driving matters.