After weeks of speculation and endless media rumours Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has finally confirmed party chief and former Pakistan cricket legend and skipper Imran Khan’s marriage to his spiritual guide Bushra Maneka.
The charismatic Khan’s previous two marriages ended in divorce. His first marriage was with Jemima Goldsmith, daughter of a British billionaire, in 1995, which lasted nine years. Khan has two sons from her.
His second marriage with TV anchor Reham Khan in 2015 ended after a brief 10 months.
Khan, married Bushra Bibi (also known as Pinki Pir) in a simple ceremony held in Lahore PTI spokesman Fawad Chaudhry said in a tweet.
He said the marriage ceremony was held at Maneka’s brother’s residence in Lahore. PTI Central Executive Committee member Mufti Muhammad Saeed performed the ‘nikah’.
“Marriage is the combination of two hearts and two souls which join each on this special day of wedding. I wish a very happy and blessed married life to Imran Khan,” Chaudhry said.
“The valima ceremony will also be held in a simple manner in a few days,” he said.
The PTI’s media wing released pictures of the marriage ceremony in which Khan is seen wearing shalwar kameez and black jacket while the bride is decked in red suit with woolen shawl.
None of Imran’s sisters was present in the ceremony triggering rumours that Khan had not taken them into confidence about his third marriage.
Earlier, Khan had rejected the reports that he had contracted his marriage with Maneka on January 1 in Lahore’s Defence residence of his ‘new’ brother-in-law.
A source in the party said Khan was under immense pressure from the PTI to disclose his third marriage after a humiliating defeat in Punjab’s Lodhran district last week.
“The PTI leadership was of the view that strong rumours about his third marriage had played a role in the defeat of the party’s strongman Jahangir Tareen’s son at the hands of a candidate of ruling PML-N,” he said.
