An Indian Newspaper recently claimed that Bushra Bibi, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan’s 3rd wife is a descendant of Hindu Rajput king Raja Jaisal, the founder of Jaisalmer in Rajasthan.
Is Bushra Bibi, Pakistan’s first lady related to the Hindu Rajput King Jaisal of Jaisalmer as alleged? Were her ancestors indeed Hindu?
Yes, Bushra Bibi’s ancestors did have a Hindu-Rajput lineage. She comes from the famous Maneka sub-clan of the Wattoo clan of Muslim Rajputs in Pakistan that claims its descent from Maharaja Jaisal, the founder of the Jaisalmer Kingdom in Rajasthan, India.
The Wattoo clan of Punjab is one of the most influential Rajput tribes of the Sutlej Valley of Punjab.
Conversion of Wattoo Rajputs to Islam
Historians believe that several Rajput clans of North Western India converted to Islam due to the efforts of the renowned Sufi saint Baba Fariduddin Ganjshakar.
Their large-scale conversion to Islam reportedly took place during the reign of Sultan Firuz Shah Tughlaq in the 14th century.
Interestingly, the famous Tughlaq Sultan also descended from a Hindu Merchant from his mother’s side.
The lineage of some other notable political and religious personalities of Pakistan like Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Allama Iqbal, Benazir Bhutto, Nawaz Sharif, Qamar Javed Bajwa, Maulana Tariq Jameel, etc can also be traced back to Hindu-Brahmanism.
Renowned Islamic Scholar of Pakistan Maulana Tariq Jameel has himself acknowledged on numerous occasions that he is a direct descendant of the famous Chauhan ruler of Delhi Prithviraj Chauhan.
Bushra Bibi’s Marriage to Imran Khan
It is said that the Wattoos still revere Baba Fariduddin and Imran Khan got attracted to Bushra Bibi because of his interest in the revered Sufi saint’s teachings.
“My interest in Sufism started 30 years ago. It changed my life. Sufism is an order with many levels, but I have never met anyone who is as high as my wife. My interest in her began with that”, said Imran Khan in an interview, regarding his marriage to Bushra Bibi.
Imran Khan married Bushra Bibi in a simple Nikah ceremony in Lahore in 2018. It was six months before Imran Khan became the Prime Minister of Pakistan.
Later, in an interview with the Daily Mail, Khan claimed not to have seen Bushra Bibi’s face until after their marriage.
“I did not catch a glimpse of my wife’s face until after we were married. I proposed to her without seeing her because she had never met me without her face being covered with a full veil. The only idea I had of what she looked like came from an old photograph I had seen in her house,” he told the famous British Daily.
Bushra Bibi was earlier married to Khawar Farid Maneka, a senior customs officer in Pakistan. She has three children from her previous marriage.
Strange Rumors about Bushra Bibi
Bushra Bibi also happens to be the first veil-wearing spouse of a Pakistani Prime Minister. She once said that the decision to wear a hijab or veil is her personal choice in line with her religious teachings which she does not seek to impose on anyone else.
Interestingly, Pakistan’s haute couture society is filled with strange rumors about Bushra Bibi. She is believed to possess mysterious spiritual powers and is known to be a faith healer in Pakistan. She also undertakes various philanthropic activities all over Pakistan.
Because of her mystic Sufi practices, she is referred to as a “Pirni” i.e. a female saint. As she often dons light-colored gowns, Pakistanis also call her Pinky Pirni or Pinki Bibi.
Many even say that Imran Khan became the Prime Minister of Pakistan solely because of Bushra Bibi’s spiritual powers.
Shortly after Khan took office, Bushra Bibi praised his resolve for the betterment of Pakistan and told the media that “I am sure Imran Khan will fulfill his promises to Pakistan. Allah has given us a great responsibility. Power comes and goes. Imran Khan aims to eliminate poverty in the country. He wants to improve the health and education system in Pakistan.”
Meanwhile, these days Imran Khan is in deep political trouble as he faces continuous desertions and also a no-confidence motion in the coming few days in the Pakistan National Assembly.
It would be interesting to see if Bushra Bibi is able to save her husband this time with her spiritual prowess.
