The federal government on Wednesday initiated the process to obtain Red Notices from Interpol to apprehend former overseas and human resources development minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Inasf (PTI) leader Zulfiqar Bukhari (also known as Zulfi Bukhari).
In a notice letter sent by the federal interior ministry to the director general of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Wednesday, it read that the special secretary of Interior had approved a move to seek red notices against Bukhari, who is wanted by the police.
Bukhari is wanted in a case which had been registered on March 18, 2023, for allegedly attacking, vandalising and damaging the judicial complex during Imran Khan's visit to the judicial complex for a hearing.
The letter said that the FIA should conduct detailed scrutiny of the available documents and the case to gauge its legal and technical strength before filling out the relevant application with Interpol for a red notice.
Once that exercise is complete, the FIA can apply the notice with the Interpol global secretariat located in Lyon, France.
"In case, any deficiency is observed therein, the concerned department(s) may be consulted for making up the same, under intimation to this ministry. FIA must send complete cases to Interpol," read the letter.
Interpol was requested to issue the notice and apprehend the former federal overseas minister.
Bukhari was believed to be part of Imran Khan's inner sanctum, enjoying close ties not only with Imran but also his wife, Bushra Bibi.
In one alleged leaked audio of a call between Bukhari and Bushra Bibi, the latter asked the former to to sell the Toshakhana watches owned by her husband.
In the audio tape, both Bushra Bibi and Zulfi Bukhari could be heard talking about the watches possessed by Imran Khan (which he probably received as gifts from foreign leaders when he was the prime minister).
Bushra Bibi told Zulfi that her husband wanted her to hand those watches to him so he could sell them.
The former PTI leader blindly accepts it and assures Imran Khan's wife that the "job will be done".
Below is the transcript of the conversation:
Bushra Bibi: Hello
Zulfi Bukhari: Hello, assalam o alaikum jee, how are you?
Bushra Bibi: Jee walaikum assalam, I am good, how are you?
Zulfi Bukhari: I am good, murshid (guide); how are you?
Bushra Bibi: Alhamdulillah, by the grace of Allah (I am good) . . there are some watches of Imran Khan... He (Imran) has asked me to send them to you... you can sell them somewhere because they are not in his use
Zulfi Bukhari: jee
Bushra Bibi: So he (Imran) wanted you to do something about them
Zulfi Bukhari: Definitely, murshid I will do it... I will do it, jee