By Salman Ahmad
United Nations Goodwill Ambassador, Pakistani-American, Human Rights Defender and a famous rockstar, Founder of rock band “Junoon”

“The truth shall set you free. Yet everything reveals its truth in the end.”

In the fetid swamp of Pakistani politics, where betrayal festers and power is a blood sport, a new figure emerges from the shadows: Zulfi Bokhari, international advisor to the imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan. His testimony on July 15, 2025, before the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission in Washington, D.C., was a blistering indictment of the forces holding Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, in what he called a “political vendetta.” Yet, conspicuously absent from his charge sheet was the name of Pakistan’s military strongman, General Asim Munir. This omission raises a chilling question: Is Bokhari a loyal lieutenant fighting for Khan’s cause, or a Trojan horse planted by Munir to undermine Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) from within?

The Context: A Nation Under Siege

Imran Khan, Pakistan’s once-celebrated cricket icon turned populist leader, has been languishing in solitary confinement for nearly two years, stripped of basic rights and subjected to conditions harsher than those afforded to convicted terrorists. His wife, Bushra Bibi, faces similar cruelties—her cell’s television shut off, her human rights as a prisoner suspended. Khan’s alleged statement from Adiala Jail, smuggled out through intermediaries, is a defiant cry: “I am ready to spend my entire life in prison, but the question of bowing before oppression and tyranny does not arise.” He names Munir as the architect of this oppression, accusing him of orchestrating a campaign to break him by targeting his wife.

Yet, Khan’s family—his sister Aleema, his sons Kasim and Suleiman—cannot verify if these words are truly his. Isolated in a “dark prison cell,” Khan’s voice is filtered through layers of intermediaries, leaving room for manipulation. Kasim’s post on X paints a portrait of a father who sacrificed family for country, choosing principle over comfort. “His sacrifice is for Pakistan. His strength comes from its people,” Kasim wrote, a sentiment echoing Khan’s call for nationwide protests against Munir’s regime.

The Enigma of Zulfi Bokhari

Enter Zulfi Bokhari, a close confidant of Khan and a figure with deep ties to both Pakistan and the West. His appearance at the Tom Lantos hearing was a bold move, a platform to spotlight Pakistan’s descent into authoritarianism. Bokhari detailed the military’s role in Khan’s incarceration, the rigging of the February 2024 elections, and the brutal crackdown on PTI supporters. But his failure to name Munir, the alleged puppeteer of this repression, is a glaring red flag. Why skirt the name of the man Khan himself holds accountable?

Sources suggest a darker possibility. In November 2024, whispers emerged within PTI circles that Bokhari, alongside Bushra Bibi’s sister Maryam Watoo, might be on a “sniffing mission” for Munir. A source with connections to U.S. senators revealed that Bokhari’s outreach to American institutions was not just about lobbying for Khan’s release but potentially about gauging the strength of Khan’s international support. The goal? To allow Munir’s regime to craft a counter-campaign with “money or disinformation.” This source claims Bokhari’s meetings in Washington were orchestrated to present him as Khan’s representative, while secretly assessing the resolve of Khan’s allies abroad.

A Double Agent or a Loyalist?

The theory that Bokhari is a double agent gains traction from Khan’s own words. In his alleged jail message, Khan recounts a past incident: when Munir was removed from a post during Khan’s tenure, he sought a meeting with Bushra Bibi through Bokhari, which she rejected. This rejection, Khan claims, fuels Munir’s vendetta against her. If true, Bokhari’s role as a go-between suggests he was once trusted by Munir—or at least approachable enough to be used as a conduit. Could Munir now be leveraging that connection, positioning Bokhari as a “Machiavellian candidate” to lead a PTI stripped of Khan?

Ryan Grim’s reporting for Drop Site News adds another layer. In June 2025, President Donald Trump met with Munir at the White House, urging him to “resolve” the Khan situation. Trump, addressing Munir as “Field Marshal,” emphasized the support of Pakistani-Americans, who overwhelmingly back Khan. Sources suggest Munir may be exploring an alternative PTI leadership to placate international pressure while sidelining Khan. Bokhari, with his Western connections and polished demeanor, fits the bill as a potential figurehead for a “Minus One” PTI—a party without its charismatic founder.

The Stakes: Munir’s Ambitions and Khan’s Survival

Why is Munir so determined to neutralize Khan? The answer lies in power and precedent. Posts on X and insider accounts paint Munir as a man with presidential ambitions, aiming to emulate General Zia-ul-Haq, who orchestrated the judicial assassination of Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto in 1979. Khan, with his populist appeal and unyielding defiance, is an existential threat to Munir’s control. The military’s rigging of the 2024 elections, as reported by PTI and corroborated by international observers, underscores Munir’s willingness to trample democracy to maintain dominance.

Bokhari’s silence on Munir’s name at the Tom Lantos hearing could be strategic—either to avoid direct confrontation with a powerful general or to signal his alignment with Munir’s agenda. The latter possibility is bolstered by unverified claims that Bokhari and Maryam Watoo are coordinating to reshape PTI’s leadership. If true, this would be a betrayal of Khan’s explicit instructions: he has forbidden family members, including Bushra Bibi, from using the PTI platform for political gain.

The Smell of Treachery

Something is indeed rotten in the state of Pakistan. Bokhari’s transatlantic dash to Washington, his carefully worded testimony, and his curious omission of Munir’s name all point to a deeper game. Is he a loyalist navigating a treacherous landscape to save his leader, or a Trojan horse sent to dismantle PTI from within? The truth remains obscured, but the stakes could not be higher. Khan’s life hangs in the balance, and his family’s fears—voiced by Aleema, Kasim, and Suleiman—reflect a grim reality: Munir’s regime will stop at nothing to crush dissent.

As Khan calls for protests and unity, his warning is clear: “If anything happens to me in prison, Asim Munir should be held accountable.” Whether Bokhari is a hero or a Judas, the Pakistani people must heed Khan’s call to resist tyranny. For now, the world watches, and the shadow of betrayal looms large.