Imran Khan, Pakistan’s World Cup-winning cricket captain, has divorced his second wife, Reham
Imran Khan, Pakistan’s World Cup-winning cricket captain, has divorced his second wife, Reham. The 63-year-old politician had formally married the former BBC presenter in a high-profile wedding in January 2015. The news of their romance broke in British media in December 2014.
The 42-year-old Reham, a divorced mother of three, had secretly dated Imran, who was earlier married to Jemima Goldsmith, who most recently dated Russell Brand. Reham Khan’s previous marriage with Ijaz Rehman ended after 15 years as the couple divorced in 2005.
The news of Imran’s divorce was confirmed on Friday by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf spokesperson, Naeem Ul Haque.
A statement from the political party said: “Chairman PTI Imran Khan and Reham Khan have decided to divorce by mutual consent. Due to the sensivity and seriousness of this extremely painful matter it is requested that the media should refrain from any speculation. There will be no further communication in this respect.”
Pakistani media had reported in September that all was not well between Imran and Reham. Pakistan’s most respected cricket captain was unhappy with Reham’s growing political ambitions, reported Pakistan Today.
Imran had to take to social media to deny that his relationship with Reham was in the doldrums. Reports also suggested that Imran was back with Jemima and her children in England. He divorced his first wife Jemima Khan in 2004. The relationship with Reham apparently worsened since Imran returned to Pakistan.
Reham Confirms Split
“We have decided to part ways and file for divorce,” Reham Khan said on Twitter.
Imran later took to Twitter to express his “greatest respect for Reham’s moral character and her passion to work for and help the underprivileged”.
“This is a painful time for me and Reham and our families. I would request everyone to respect our privacy,” he said.
The little known journalist endured criticism on social media from conservative Muslim Pakistanis after her marriage to Khan became public and pictures and videos surfaced of her on-screen in Western outfits.
Imran Khan, who developed a playboy reputation in his younger days, built a political power base in Pakistan’s deeply conservative north.
His party became the country’s third largest in a 2013 election after he advocated talks with Pakistani Taliban insurgents and criticised the United States for drone strikes in militant areas.
Khan’s previous marriage to British socialite Jemima, the daughter of the financier James Goldsmith, ended in 2004. Khan’s political rivals used the marriage to attack Khan by emphasising her Jewish roots.
SOURCE: PTI