Imran Khan's marriage likely this week in a low-key ceremony

Islamabad, Jan 7: Pakistan's cricketer-turned- politician Imran Khan's marriage is likely to be held this week with a former BBC journalist and the wedding event would be a low-key affair, his party said today.

Shireen Mazari, spokesperson of Imran's Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), said the marriage of the party chief would be a private affair. She said the Islamic ceremony of 'nikah' was likely to take place this week.

The PTI chairman earlier this week vehemently denied reports that he secretly married ex-BBC weather girl and Pakistani TV anchor Reham Khan, but on Tuesday in London Imran said he was returning to Pakistan to share the "good news" of his marriage.

It was earlier reported that the event would be used to raise funds for Imran's Shaukat Khanum Cancer Memorial Hospital in Lahore. His party today denied such reports. "There are no such ticketed cards and no grand function...Imran is in no mood to celebrate after the Peshawar tragedy," Mazari added.

Reham, 41, who was born in Libya to Pakistani parents, has three children from her previous marriage to a doctor. Notwithstanding Reham's expected new stint in Pakistani politics, commentators have warned the marriage can also mean a loss of support for Imran among the country's female voters.

The 62-year-old cricketer-turned-politician married Jemima Goldsmith in 1995, but divorced her after nine years and since then he has spent most of his time building his political career and his party. He has two sons from her who live with their mother in London.

Imran had gone to London reportedly to consult his marriage plan with his two sons who live with Jemima. Jemima has said she was ditching the surname 'Khan' and reverting to her family name because her ex-husband was about to remarry.

PTI