Imran Khan says reports about his re-marriage 'greatly exaggerated'

Lahore, Jan 1 (PTI) Pakistan's flamboyant cricketer-turned politician Imran Khan today described as "greatly exaggerated" the reports that he had secretly married a TV anchor, a decade after he separated from his first wife.

"The reports of my marriage are greatly exaggerated," the 62-year-old Pakistan Tahreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman tweeted amid reports that he had married a former BBC weather girl Reham Khan.

The 41-year-old Khan is presently hosting a political talk-show "In Focus with Reham Khan" on DawnNews. The show's rating has incredibly shot up following the controversy.

"In response to all the rumours about my marriage I want to say that I have, in the presence of my supporters, publicly expressed my wish to remarry. However, marriage cannot be entered into lightly," Imran said in a statement.

"Second marriages especially need to be considered carefully as children are involved. Also, we are deeply saddened by the tragic massacre of our children in Peshawar. We are all in a state of mourning at present. It is only respectful that we wait for an appropriate time," he said.

Interestingly, Reham Khan also has not yet categorically denied her marriage reports. On her twitter account, apparently referring to the Daily Mail's reports about her 'secret marriage', she said, "Western publications are misguided that Pakistan's religious conservative culture is attacking me. It is a case of cyber violence".

PTI spokesperson Shireen Mizari said Imran Khan would tell the people when he would decide to remarry. "Marriage is a personal matter of Imran Khan and the media should not spread rumours (about his marriage)," she said.

Reham Khan, who is a divorced mother of three had lived in Britain after her previous marriage where she was a weather girl and a presenter on the BBC regional news programme "South Today".

Shahid Masood, a TV anchor, was the first who claimed in a talk show that Imran had contracted secret marriage with Reham following the latter's frequent interviews with Imran during his party's four-month long sit-in in Islamabad in August.

Imran Khan's ex-wife Jemima Goldsmith had earlier said that she was ditching the surname 'Khan' and reverting to her family name because her ex-husband was about to remarry. Khan also had told his supporters that he would remarry after building "New Pakistan".

PTI