File photo of Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan and his spouse Bushra Bibi’s personal physician, Dr. Asim Yousuf, on Thursday said he had found no indications of Bushra having been poisoned while incarcerated at the Bani Gala sub-jail.
Earlier this week, Khan had alleged before court that his wife’s food was poisoned, adding he “knew” who was responsible. Bushra had similarly told a vlogger that someone had added “three drops” of toilet cleaner to her food, claiming the full effects of such poisoning only become apparent after a month. Khan had urged the court to order a medical examination of his wife, adding their personal physician should do it.
“At this time, there is no evidence of Bushra Bibi being poisoned,” Dr. Yousuf told Geo News after examining the former first lady. “We are not conducting any medical test to ascertain administration of any poisonous substance to Bushra Bibi as no such symptoms are detected,” he added.
Explaining that Bushra’s health had deteriorated two months ago after a meal, he said she had started to eat less due to other health concerns. He said a full medical workup should be ordered to determine if Bushra had any underlying medical concerns, including gastrointestinal issues.
Apart from Dr. Yousuf, a team of doctors from the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) also examined Bushra and collected lab samples. A medical report noted that while Bushra had lost some weight during the initial weeks of her incarceration, her health had since improved. It said she complained of bad taste in her mouth and occasional mild lower abdominal discomfort, but had no symptoms that would raise major concerns.
Sharing news of the medical examination, Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari noted there were no symptoms of the poisoning alleged by Khan and his wife. “Unfortunately, both husband and wife are habitual liars,” she added.
However, the PTI—which continues to claim Bushra was poisoned despite doctor assurances—claimed the examination was insufficient as no laboratory of Pakistan could detect slow poisoning. Speaking with daily Dawn, PTI spokesperson Raoof Hasan claimed lab samples would need to be sent to a foreign country to confirm slow poisoning of the former first lady.