Only nine-months after his second marriage, Pakistan’s cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan on Friday divorced his 42-year-old wife Reham Khan.
Imran Khan reportedly paid '80 million to Reham Khan as settlement. However, some sources say that the actual paid amount was Rs 180 million.
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief, 63, and the father of two sons from his previous marriage to British socialite Jemima Khan, had tied the knot with much younger television journalist Reham Khan on January 8. Reham Khan is host of a political talk show in Pakistan and was previously a BBC weather host. She is also a divorced mother of three.
Imran Khan and Reham Khan have divorced with mutual consent, PTI spokesperson Naeemul Haq said. “Yes, I can confirm the divorce. Everything has been settled between the two,” he said. “Imran and Rehman have requested that the media respect their privacy and avoid speculation,” Haq said. Haq refused to give reasons for the divorce but according to Imran’s close associates he was not happy with Reham meddling in political affairs. Imran’s divorce with Reham has not come as a surprise since rumours of troubles in their marriage had been doing the rounds for some time and they were reportedly living apart. Sources aware of the development said the main issues between the two were Reham’s keenness to get involved in party matters and her disliking for Jemima who remains in touch with Imran because of their sons and takes keen interest in his political career and matters related to the Shaukat Khanum Cancer hospital. A source said Reham wanted to get involved in politics and Imran was facing resistance on this front from his close aides in the party. “The family of Imran, particularly his sister who is close to him were also never happy with the second marriage,” the source said. Earlier in August this year Imran had announced that Reham will not be playing an active role in party affairs, following “attacks” on his then wife in the aftermath of the party’s defeat in bypolls.
“Imran Khan has requested to avoid speculations on the issue. They have divorced on a personal matter,” he added. Imran Khan’s close aides said Reham Khan wanted to get involved with politics and that was not what Mr Khan wanted at all. And she just did not want to sit at home. Soon after their marriage, some PTI leaders and supporters had expressed concern over her participation in party politics after which Imran Khan announced she would not contest polls or attend any party gatherings. Hours after the divorce was made public, Imran Khan said it was a painful time for him and Reham Khan. He requested everyone to respect their privacy. “This is a painful time for me & Reham & our families. I would request everyone to respect our privacy. I have the greatest respect for Reham’s moral character & her passion to work for & help the underprivileged,” he said about his ex-wife who is in London these days to attend a media conference. Reham Khan also confirmed the divorce on twitter. Mufti Mohammed Saeed, who solemnised their marriage in January in an Islamic ceremony, said the agreed Haq Mehr (dower) was only Rs 100, 000 on the Nikah Nama (marriage contract). “I don’t know what Imran Khan has finally paid but it was only Rs 100, 000 on the Nikah Nama. It is their personal decision how they want to go about it,” he added. The cleric said he knew some secrets but would not make them public as Islam does not allow this. A family member of Imran Khan said Mr Khan’s sisters pressurised him to divorce Reham Khan. Imran Khan’s sister Aleema Khan had made no secret of her displeasure over the marriage. Mr Khan has four sisters, Rubina Khanum, Aleema Khanum, Uzma Khanum and Rani Khanum. All of them did not attend the January wedding ceremony and neither visited Mr Khan’s residence in Islamabad afterwards. Imran Khan’s conservative family was unhappy with Reham Khan’s past as her pictures wearing mini-skirts, dancing in the clubs and drinking went viral soon after the marriage. The ‘amicable’ end to a nine-month marriage also put to rest Reham Khan’s ambitions to possibly become the First Lady in future – the only one to be that active after the First Gentlemen Asif Ali Zardari – being the spouse of twice-elected Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. Mr Zardari later became the President himself. Nusrat Bhutto as the First Lady was fairly lively but that happened many years ago. Her husband, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was hanged in 1979 and then there was struggle all along until her death. Reham Khan was determined to pursue a political career. As many believed Imran Khan could be the future Prime Minister, Reham Khan was seen as an energetic First Lady in the making. Reham Khan herself said she would not have married Imran Khan if she was not interested in politics. A large group of the PTI was unhappy with Reham Khan’s over-enthusiastic participation in politics and months later she was sidelined by Imran Khan. The moment Reham Khan’s twitter and politically activity was switched off, there were rumours something as big as a divorce could happen anytime unless Imran Khan opens the doors for her again. In the last few weeks, Mr Khan was beginning to ease the restrictions on Reham Khan but damage had already been done. In the early days of marriage, Reham Khan, who never had any official position in the party, acted as ‘Faryal Talpur of PTI.’ Faryal Talpur, the sister of Pakistan People’s Party co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari is believed to the second-in-command in the party. She has been active in politics for long and shares power with her brother and nephew Bilawal Bhutto Zardari in the party. Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif asked party leaders to refrain from commenting on Imran Khan’s personal life. However, the divorce stirred a fiery debate on social media, with fans and naysayers of both Khan and Reham Khan taking sides. Earlier this year, the Khyber Pukhtunkhaw government led by the PTI appointed Reham Khan as ambassador for street children. Her job included raising awareness about the rights of poor children. Born in 1952 in Lahore into a comfortable family with origins in the Pashtun northwest, Imran Khan was educated at Aitchison College, the Eton of Pakistan, boarding school in England, and then Oxford University. He became one of the world’s greatest ever all-rounders - a fearsome fast bowler and dangerous batsman - whose finest hour came at the 1992 cricket World Cup, where at the age of 39 he led an inexperienced team to the title. Off the pitch, he had a string of socialite girlfriends and frequented exclusive nightclubs in London until he married Jemima Goldsmith, the daughter of the French-British tycoon James Goldsmith, in 1995. She converted to Islam and the couple moved in with his family in Lahore. They divorced in 2004, allegedly over the difficulties Jemima Khan faced in Pakistan, where she was hounded for her family’s Jewish ancestry, and his obsession with politics. Pakistani politicians took to twitter to comment on the divorce, Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah from the ruling Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) said, “No woman can stay with Imran Khan.” Pakistan People’s Party leader Nisar Khuhro said, “If I was PPP Punjab leader, I would have immediately invited Reham Khan to join our party.” PPP leader and Sindh Assembly Deputy Speaker Shehla Raza said, “Imran Khan has lost second wicket and there is best chance of a hat-trick.” PTI leader Shireen Mazari lashed out at opposition politicians for their negative remarks. “We will not indulge in personal mudslinging of opposition politicians despite their cheap shots because we respect IK’s request for privacy. But the Rana Sanaullahs & Syeda Shehla Raza should look to their own party members loves, lives & divorces before targeting IK’s personal life!”
