Imran Khan to critics of his wedding: 'Marriage is not a crime'

For the women of Pakistan, it was cause for mourning. For the conservatives in the Muslim nation, it was cause for anger. But for the man himself, it was cause for celebration.

Imran Khan announced on Tuesday that he was becoming a married man, telling a press conference at his 200-acre Islamabad estate that "marriage is not a crime."

The 62-year-old, who arrived back in Pakistan on Tuesday after spending time in the UK, had told reporters on Monday night as he boarded his flight from Heathrow that he was planning to "share the good news with the nation" on his return. It was not clear whether the couple had married already, as some reports suggested, or were waiting to celebrate their nuptials in Pakistan.

Mr Khan’s bride is former BBC weather presenter Reham Khan, 41, a divorced mother-of-three, who moved back to her native Pakistan in 2013 and began working for television channels there.

And on Tuesday night Mr Khan’s decision to marry was the subject of furious debate on Pakistani television, where callers to chat shows rang in to voice their opinions, over clips of his first wedding, to Jemima Goldsmith. "It’s the talk of the town," said one commentator in Islamabad.

Their wish to marry had been announced by Mr Khan in August, when, during his political party’s four-month sit in to campaign against President Nawaz Sharif, he proclaimed that he was waiting for the resignation of the government before he wed.

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"I want to create a new Pakistan not only for you, but also for me – because once a new Pakistan becomes a reality, I will marry," he said, to thunderous applause from his supporters.

His ex-wife Jemima Goldsmith, whom he had married in a traditional Islamic ceremony in Paris in 1995, announced that she, as a result, was returning to her maiden name. They have two sons together, and divorced in 2004.

"My ex-husband, Imran, recently announced that he intended to get remarried soon, which made me think it’s probably time to change my name back to Goldsmith," she said.

But when Mr Khan flew back to London last month to see his two sons and Miss Goldsmith, he denied that a wedding was impending.

"The reports of my marriage are greatly exaggerated!" he said on New Year’s Eve.

And perhaps his desire to play down his wedding was due to a growing backlash from conservatives within his country – and from within his family.

Following his divorce from Miss Goldsmith, Mr Khan then devoted himself to politics, founding the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) – Pakistan Movement for Justice – and becoming an influential campaigner against the American use of drones in Pakistan to target Taliban commanders.

His bachelor status made him something of a heart-throb in Pakistan, with women queuing up to marry him. Pakistani actress Meera, whose real name is Irtiza Rubab, made no secret of her ardour for the politician.

"I would be happy to marry Imran if he asked me," she said in November. "My offer is still valid and I am waiting for Imran to approach me."

He is noted as the only political leader whose public meetings are attended by women, especially the young, who paint their faced with his PTI's flags.

And his supporters remain adamant that he is right to remarry.

"Imran Khan has sacrificed his life for the people of Pakistan," Azizur Rehman, a secondary schoolteacher, told The Telegraph. "He deserves to enjoy married life.

"We are waiting for Khan’s marriage because it will be joyful day for all his well-wishers and political supporters."

Mr Khan himself said he had waited this long to remarry for the sake of his children.

"I didn't think of my marriage for 10 years after my divorce because my children were small," he said on Tuesday. "I do not ever think of hurting my children's feelings."

But his opponents have seized on Miss Khan’s high profile and television career as a sign that she was ill-suited to marry the politician, and launched vicious attacks against her character.

On Facebook, photographs of her smiling in the company of a female friend were captioned: "Reham Khan drunk at a private party, rubbing a woman’s back. Is she a lesbian now?"

Photos of her attending a horse race in a knee-length dress were criticised, as were shots of her dancing a tango on a BBC show. In one image she is shown striding through a boutique in a skimpy pink negligee and suspenders while carrying a whip – critics said that she was in a sex shop.

And Mr Khan’s own family do not appear to welcome the news.

"Really? Really? Let’s see if he announces it officially. I am taken aback," said his sister, Aleema Khan, when told of the marriage plans.

"This is a real challenge for him. We haven’t met her and I don’t know that we want to meet her."

She had previously stated that the marriage was a fabrication by political adversaries, to discredit him.

She told MailOnline: "This is the only way the opposition know how to attack him. These are the tactics they would stoop to.

"I spoke to my brother a few days ago and he said it isn't true.

"We, the family, just asked him outright, have you married her? And he said no. I don't know if they are in a relationship, here in Pakistan you are either getting married or you are not.

"We'd be extremely happy if he marries a good person and settles down, of course we would. But it is not just his consideration, it's a consideration for the country, it's like a national-level decision."

Miss Khan's family have not spoken about the marriage, and she has in the past year become something of a celebrity in Pakistan. Some have even suggested that the Libya-born Miss Khan, who presently anchors a Dawn TV programme In Focus, has described herself as a future first lady.

A producer at Dawn TV told MailOnline that the backlash had left Miss Khan "very disturbed".

The source said: "She is not in the right state of mind after seeing the reaction of trolls on social media after news of her marriage with Imran Khan was disclosed.

"She has not been conducting her daily programme as well. She is very disturbed by the way she is being portrayed on social media."

But despite the controversy, one of Mr Khan’s close associates told The Telegraph that he was going to officially celebrate the wedding next week.

"It is private matter of Khan but it’s going to happen next week," he said. "Our party workers are extremely jubilant over the news of his marriage and want to see it happen as soon as possible."

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