Home Latest News Audio Leaks: Bushra Bibi, Zulfi Bukhari Allegedly Discuss Sale of Watches

Audio Leaks: Bushra Bibi, Zulfi Bukhari Allegedly Discuss Sale of Watches

Islamabad shopkeeper who PTI claims purchased Toshakhana watch denies having any role in sale

by Staff Report

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)’s defense of Imran Khan’s sale of watches from the Toshakhana took another hit on Thursday, as the alleged purchaser of one of the watches denied having any role in the sale and an audio recording allegedly featuring Khan’s wife and a former member of cabinet emerged on social media.

The latest audio clip allegedly features Bushra Bibi, Khan’s wife, in conversation with former special assistant to the prime minister Zulfikar Bukhari. In the clip, which appears to be a recorded phone call, the two are heard discussing the sale of watches that are not in Khan’s use, with Bukhari saying he would handle all the arrangements.

The brief, 20-second clip, commences with Bushra and Bukhari exchanging pleasantries before she informs him of the purpose of the call. “There are some watches of Khan sahib … He asked me to send these to you so you can sell them because they are of no use to him,” she says. “Yes,” Bukhari responds. “So, he [Khan] wants you to deal with it,” Bushra adds. “Yes, murshid. I will do it,” Bukhari responds.

The date on which the conversation occurred remains unclear, with neither of the speakers saying anything to suggest the watches they are seeking to sell were part of the Toshakhana gifts that Khan received from global leaders. However, social media users were quick to link the two, as Khan’s sale of a MasterGraff wristwatch gifted to him by Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman has drawn much controversy, and was partially responsible for the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) disqualifying him from holding public office over “corrupt practices.”

Adding to the speculation are statements from Muhammad Shafiq, also released on Thursday, about the sale of the wristwatch. Shafiq is the Pakistani businessman who the PTI has long maintained purchased the watch from Khan, even showing a receipt of the sale from his Islamabad shop, Art of Time.

In his written statement, Shafiq has said he “never bought or sold any Graff watch for Rs. 51 million or associated jewelry worth Rs. 7 million.” Alleging that his shop’s name and stamp is “being misused” without his permission “to cater to certain politically motivated media houses,” he warned of legal action against any party that continued to malign him or his business in future.

In an accompanying video statement, the businessman said he was a victim of “propaganda,” adding that the receipt provided by the PTI did not contain his handwriting or signature. Claiming that he had not offered any earlier clarification because he was hoping for the matter to die down, he said it had proven a source of great distress and had forced him to sell his business.

The Toshakhana gifts bought and sold by Khan have proven a scandal that the PTI has struggled to nullify, with new details emerging every few weeks. Last month, U.A.E.-based businessman Umar Farooq Zahoor claimed he had bought the watch for $2 million from Khan’s family friend, Farah Khan. Both Farah and the PTI chief have denied this, claiming they did not sell the watch to Zahoor and he must have purchased it from a third party. Zahoor, however, maintains that he paid cash for it and purchased it directly from Farah.

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