Bushra Bibi led the movement to free Imran Khan, what happened next is mysterious

A burnt-out truck, empty tear gas shells and posters of former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan – that was the scene in Islamabad after a massive protest led by Bushra Bibi. The protests brought the country’s capital to a virtual standstill. Just a day earlier, spiritual leader Bushra Bibi, wrapped in a white shroud and a white niqab covering her face, had addressed thousands of supporters from atop a container on the edge of the city. Thousands of Imran Khan supporters below were waving flags and chanting. “My children and my brothers! You must stand with me,” Bushra Bibi told Mr. Khan’s supporters, breaking down in tears as she delivered the speech on Tuesday afternoon. Bushra Bibi’s voice was barely audible over the deafening roar of thousands of supporters. “Even if you are not with me, I will stand strong,” she added. “This is not just about my husband, it is about our country and the country’s leadership.” Many believe this was Bushra Bibi’s official debut in Pakistani politics. But as the sun rose on Wednesday morning, Bushra Bibi and the thousands of protesters who had gathered in Islamabad from across the country to demand Imran Khan’s release were nowhere to be found. It is still unclear what happened in the so-called “final march,” and what exactly happened to Bushra Bibi, and when the city went dark.

A witness named Samia (pseudonym) at the scene said the power suddenly went out and the entire area where they had gathered in the D-Chowk area was plunged into darkness. Then, suddenly, tear gas clouds filled the area and people started screaming in panic. Samia was holding her husband's bloody body on the pavement next to her, who had been shot in the shoulder. "Everyone was running for their lives," Samia later told BBC Urdu from a hospital in Islamabad. "It was like the apocalypse, like a war." "His blood was on my hands and people were screaming." But how did the situation change so quickly? A few hours earlier, on Tuesday afternoon, the protesters had reached D-Chowk in the heart of Islamabad. They had to face various obstacles, including rounds of tear gas and numerous barricades on the road, to get there. They finally reached their destination. The majority of the participants in the march were workers and supporters of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), led by Imran Khan. Imran Khan, who has been in prison for over a year, had called for the march from jail. He has claimed that all the charges against him are politically motivated.