Pakistan's jailed former PM Imran Khan claims wife Bushra Bibi poisoned in sub-jail
Islamabad, Apr 2: Pakistan's jailed former prime minister Imran Khan on Tuesday said his wife and former first lady Bushra Bibi was poisoned while incarcerated at his private residence here which was turned into a sub-jail, emphasising that the army chief should be held responsible if she is harmed.
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader during the hearing of the 190 million pound Toshakhana corruption case in Adiala jail informed Judge Nasir Javed Rana that there had been an attempt to poison the former first lady and added that she had marks on her skin and tongue as a side effect of the "poisoning".
“I know who is behind it," The Express Tribune newspaper quoted the 71-year-old PTI founder as saying.
Khan said that if any harm came to Bushra, the Pakistan Army chief (General Asim Munir) should be held responsible as members of an intelligence agency were controlling everything at his Bani Gala residence in Islamabad and Adiala jail in Rawalpindi.
Khan further urged the court to order 49-year-old Bushra's medical examination by Dr. Asim of Shaukat Khanum Hospital, adding that he and the party did not trust the doctor who examined her earlier.
He also urged to have an inquiry into the matter of Bushra’s alleged poisoning.
Following the former premier’s request, the court directed Khan to submit a detailed application about the former first lady's medical examination.
Talking to the media after the hearing, Bushra said rumours regarding her being an "American agent" were circulating in the party and that she was poisoned through a popular toilet cleaner.
She said "three drops" of a popular toilet cleaner were added to her food, claiming that a person's health deteriorates after a month of consumption.
"My eyes swell up, I feel pain and discomfort in my chest and stomach and food and water also taste bitter. Some suspicious substance was mixed in honey earlier and now the toilet cleaner was mixed in my food," claimed the former first lady.
"I was told by someone in jail about what was added to my food. I will not reveal any names," she said.
Bushra informed the court that she had been kept decently at the Bani Gala sub-jail but added that she was not allowed to open the windows for a while.
Earlier, PTI claimed Bushra was fed "poisonous food" during her incarceration, asserting that she had been in severe pain.
A PTI spokesperson expressing concerns regarding "serious threats" to Bushra Bibi's life while in detention said in a statement: "Bushra's health and life are being seriously endangered by the denial of her constitutional right to medical examination."The spokesperson further alleged that Bushra Bibi's family had been barred from visiting her, a move they deemed to be a violation of both the Constitution and jail regulations.
The statement asserted the restriction was part of a "deliberate plan" to cause harm to her.
Earlier in January, Khan and Bushra Bibi were sentenced to 14 years of jail in the Toshakhana corruption case about the illegal sale of state gifts which the former premier received during his term.
Toshakhana is a department under the cabinet division in Pakistan that stores gifts and other valuables received by officials. The officials must report all the gifts they receive to the department.
Khan was lodged in Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi while Bushra Bibi was incarcerated at Khan's Bani Gala home after it was declared a sub-jail.
On Bushra Bibi’s conviction, Khan’s PTI party had said that she had no link to the case and her conviction was only an effort to further pressurise the former prime minister.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of PTI, Barrister Gohar Khan said the former First Lady of Pakistan, Bushra Bibi, is being politically victimised.
"She is being kept in isolation, there are serious concerns of her being poisoned. Chairman Imran Khan has expressed similar concerns regarding his wife’s health. The powerful circles of the country will be held accountable for any misadventure," the party quoted him as saying in a post on X.
Since his removal from power in a no-confidence motion in April 2022, the cricketer-turned-politician has been convicted in at least four cases, including the cipher case.
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Delhi's air remains hazardous, SC raps officials for 'serious lapse' in ensuring GRAP-4 curbs
New Delhi, Nov 25: Delhi's air pollution levels remained alarming on Monday, with the capital's 24-hour average AQI reading soaring to 349 from 318 the previous day, even as the Supreme Court slammed the city government and police for a "serious lapse" in implementing GRAP curbs.
The apex court, however, asked the central pollution watchdog to consider restarting physical classes in the schools and colleges of Delhi-NCR, noting that students are being deprived of mid-day meals and lack the wherewithal to attend virtual classes.
According to the SAMEER app, which offers hourly updates on the National Air Quality Index, the AQI was recorded at 218 at 9 am, but it rose to 377 at 7 pm, thanks to a low wind speed.
Seven of the 38 air quality-monitoring stations in Delhi reported AQI levels in the "severe" category at 5:30 pm, with the number rising to 14 at 7 pm.
The latest data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) said Delhi's 24-hour average AQI, recorded at 4 pm, stood at 349.
Bhavreen Kandhari, an environmentalist, said the AQI has risen due to a combination of stagnant winds that have a speed of less than 10 kilometres per hour and dropping temperatures that trap pollutants close to the ground.
The CPCB categorises the AQI as follows -- 0-50 (good), 51-100 (satisfactory), 101-200 (moderate), 201-300 (poor), 301-400 (very poor), 401-450 (severe) and above 450 (severe plus).
Last week, the city endured its highest recorded AQI for the season, reaching a hazardous 495, prompting the implementation of the Stage-4 restrictions under the Supreme Court-mandated Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) to curb pollution.
On Monday, the primary pollutant contributing to the deteriorating air quality was PM2.5, with levels recorded at 166.9 micrograms per cubic metre at 4 pm.
These fine particulate matters with a diameter of 2.5 micrometres or less, pose severe health risks as these can penetrate deep into the lungs and enter the bloodstream.
The drop in the air quality follows a week of hazardous levels of pollution, with Delhi's AQI surpassing 450 for the first time this season last Sunday morning.
Although the air quality improved slightly on Thursday and Friday, it worsened again on Saturday, with the AQI returning to the "severe" category.
As evening descended on Monday, a thick layer of mist and smog covered the city, reducing visibility and exacerbating the air-quality crisis.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court asked the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to consider restarting physical classes in schools and colleges in the National Capital Region (NCR) and adjoining areas, noting that students are being deprived of mid-day meals and lack the wherewithal to attend virtual classes.
The restrictions on physical classes in schools and colleges were imposed recently due to severe air pollution.
The court censured the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government and Delhi Police for a "serious lapse" on their part in strictly implementing the GRAP-4 measures, and directed the CAQM to take action against the erring officials.
A bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Augustine George Masih said the authorities have made no efforts to implement the GRAP-4 measures.
"It is apparent that the authorities mentioned in GRAP-IV clauses 1, 2 and 3 have made no earnest efforts to implement action under clauses 1 to 3. Some police teams were deputed at a few entry points, that also without any specific instructions," it said.
The Centre's Decision Support System (DSS) for Air Quality Management estimated that vehicular emissions contributed 16.4 per cent to Delhi's pollution on Monday. Stubble burning, another major factor, accounted for 11 per cent of the capital's pollution on Sunday.
The DSS provides daily estimates for vehicular emissions, while the data on stubble burning is typically released the following day.
Meanwhile, the daytime temperature was recorded at 25.8 degrees Celsius, 0.9 notches below the seasonal average, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.
Humidity levels fluctuated between 85 per cent and 68 per cent during the day.
The IMD has forecast moderate fog for Tuesday, with the maximum and minimum temperatures likely to hover around 26 degrees Celsius and 12 degrees Celsius respectively.
