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Reham Khan
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Reham Nayyar Khan (Urdu: ریحام نیئر خان ; born 3 April 1973) is a British-Pakistani[6] journalist, author, and filmmaker from Baffa, Pakistan.[1][7] She is a former wife of Imran Khan, who later became Prime Minister of Pakistan in 2018. The publication of her memoir shortly before the 2018 Pakistani general election led to claims that its publication was intended to damage Imran Khan's electoral prospects.[8]
Key Information
She launched the Pakistan Republic Party in July 2025, aiming to end dynastic politics in Pakistan.[9][10]
Personal life
[edit]Reham was born to Nayyar Ramzan, a Pakistani physician.[11] She is part of the Lughmani Sarkheli clan, a sub-clan of the Swati ethnic group.[1] She is fluent in four languages: English, Urdu, Pashto and her ancestral Hindko.[12] Her family hails from the town of Baffa, lying 15 km west of Mansehra in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.[13] Her parents moved to Libya in the late 1960s, where Reham was born in Ajdabiya in 1973. She has one sister and one brother.[1]
Khan is the niece of Abdul Hakeem Khan, a former governor of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province and former Chief Justice of Peshawar High Court.[14]
Reham has a Bachelor Degree in Education from Jinnah College for Women, Peshawar.[15]
She married Ejaz Rehman (spelling variants include Ijaz), her first cousin and a British psychiatrist, when she was 19. Following their divorce, Khan began working as a broadcast journalist.[1] She has three children who have lived with her since the divorce.[16][17][18]
On 6 January 2015, Imran Khan confirmed his marriage to Reham which ended on 30 October 2015 in a divorce.[5][19][20]
On 2 January 2022, Khan revealed on Twitter that she had narrowly escaped a gun attack in Islamabad when returning home from her nephew's wedding. She said her car was shot at and two men on a motorcycle held the vehicle at gunpoint.[21] Khan married Mirza Bilal on 23 December 2022.[22]
Career
[edit]Reham started her career in 2006 hosting shows on Legal TV. In 2007, Reham began presenting for Sunshine Radio Hereford and Worcester.[23] In 2008, Khan joined the BBC as a weather presenter.
In 2013, Khan came to Pakistan and joined Pakistani news channel News One (Pakistani TV channel). She later joined Aaj TV. In 2014, following a brief stint at PTV, she joined Dawn News presenting the current affairs show In Focus. Following a brief hiatus in early 2015, she resumed her work with a new show on Dawn. The Reham Khan Show, a programme celebrating Pakistani heroes, debuted in May 2015.[24] In December 2015, she started a new talk show by the name of Tabdeeli on Neo TV. Tabdeeli (change) is also a political slogan of Imran Khan, her former husband.[25] Reham left Neo TV in June 2016.
Reham has also produced the Pakistani film Janaan, a romantic comedy set in Swat which premiered on the occasion of Eid ul Adha on 13 September 2016.[26]
Khan launched the Pakistan Republic Party on 15 July 2025, aiming to represent marginalized groups and end dynastic politics.[27][28][29] Announcing the launch at the Karachi Press Club, she vowed to pursue legal reforms and described the launch of the party as a national mission.[27]
Bibliography
[edit]- Khan, Reham (2018). Reham Khan. SK Publications. ISBN 978-1-9164-1521-8.
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f g "Reham Khan: From Hazara to Bani Gala". The Express Tribune. 8 January 2015. Retrieved 8 January 2015.
- ^ "Imran Khan Marries Reham Khan Despite Opposition by Family". The Express Tribune. 31 December 2015. Archived from the original on 31 December 2014. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
- ^ "Imran Khan Marries Reham Khan Despite Opposition by Family". Shafaqna. 31 December 2014. Archived from the original on 9 January 2015. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
- ^ "Imran Khan 'secretly married BBC weather girl' despite concerns from family and political party about divorced mother". Mirror. 31 December 2014. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
- ^ a b "Imran Khan, Reham divorce with mutual consent". Dawn. Pakistan. 30 October 2015. Retrieved 30 October 2015.
- ^ Kokra, Sonali (26 August 2018). "Imran 'chose the wrong woman to mess with': Ex-wife Reham Khan on her tell-all memoir". thenational.ae. Archived from the original on 1 October 2019.
- ^ Selby, Jenn (16 January 2015). "Reham Khan: Outrage in Pakistan as former BBC presenter who recently married Imran Khan is filmed cooking sausages". The Independent. Retrieved 19 September 2016.
- ^ "Reham Khan's book 'available in paperback in UK'". The News (Pakistan). 12 July 2018.
Reham's book, published online today, has triggered debate on social media with many saying that she is doing all this on the behest of Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz to tarnish the image of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan just before the July 25 polls.
- ^ "Former Pakistan PM's ex-wife Reham Khan launches Pakistan Republic Party". Arab News PK. 16 July 2025. Retrieved 16 July 2025.
- ^ "Reham Khan launches Pakistan Republic Party to challenge dynastic politics". The Nation. 15 July 2025. Retrieved 16 July 2025.
- ^ "Residents in Reham Khan's hometown celebrate her marriage". thenews.com.pk. 9 January 2015.
- ^ "Reham Khan got linguistic talent". Samaa TV. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
- ^ "Residents in Reham Khan's hometown". The News International. Retrieved 20 January 2016.
- ^ "Reham Khan's father was doctor, uncle Hakeem was ex-governor, CJ". The News. 9 January 2015. Retrieved 2 December 2015.
- ^ CITS UoP. "University of Peshawar". University of Peshawar. Archived from the original on 21 March 2015. Retrieved 20 January 2016.
- ^ Web Desk (15 July 2015). "The case of Reham Khan's 'fake' journalism degree". The Express Tribune News Network. Retrieved 15 July 2015.
- ^ Web Desk (14 January 2015). "Exclusive: Reham's ex-husband responds to domestic abuse allegations". The Express Tribune News Network. Retrieved 28 January 2015.
- ^ Murtaza Ali Shah (15 January 2015). "Reham's ex-husband rejects domestic violence charges". The News International. Retrieved 28 January 2015.
- ^ "Imran Khan 'secretly married BBC weather girl' despite concerns from family and political party about divorced mother". Mirror. 31 December 2014. Retrieved 31 December 2014.
- ^ "Imran, Reham divorce with mutual consent – The Express Tribune". The Express Tribune. 30 October 2015. Retrieved 30 October 2015.
- ^ "Imran Khan's ex-wife escapes gun attack in Islamabad". www.gulftoday.ae. 3 January 2022. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
- ^ "'Finally found a man I trust' : Imran Khan's ex-wife gets married for 3rd time". Hindustan Times. 23 December 2022. Retrieved 23 December 2022.
- ^ "Reham Khan on Awaztv". Archived from the original on 26 June 2015. Retrieved 20 February 2014.
- ^ Reham Khan – BBC South Today. "Reham Khan Profile on BBC South". BBC Weather. Archived from the original on 15 September 2012. Retrieved 28 June 2010.
- ^ "Reham Khan co-opts PTI's 'tabdeeli' slogan for new show". The Express Tribune. 14 December 2015. Retrieved 20 January 2016.
- ^ Sameen Hassan (14 May 2015). "Reham Khan's first production titled 'Janan' to release next year". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
- ^ a b "Former Pakistan PM's ex-wife Reham Khan launches Pakistan Republic Party". Arab News PK. 16 July 2025. Retrieved 16 July 2025.
- ^ "Reham Khan launches Pakistan Republic Party to challenge dynastic politics". The Nation. 15 July 2025. Retrieved 16 July 2025.
- ^ "Imran Khan's ex-wife Reham Khan launches Pakistan Republic Party". unb.com.bd. Retrieved 16 July 2025.
External links
[edit]Reham Khan
View on GrokipediaEarly Life and Background
Childhood and Family Origins
Reham Khan was born on 3 April 1973 in Ajdabiya, Libya, to Pakistani parents who had relocated there in the late 1960s.[6][7] Her father, Dr. Nayyar Ramzan, worked as a physician, contributing to the family's affluent status amid Libya's oil boom under Muammar Gaddafi.[8] The family belonged to the Swati tribe, a Pashtun group, with roots in Baffa, a town approximately 15 kilometers west of Mansehra in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.[9][8] Khan's early childhood unfolded in Libya, where she experienced a privileged and liberal environment marked by frequent travel and a household emphasis on education and literature; her family maintained extensive personal libraries and encouraged reading among its members.[10] She has one brother and two sisters, with the family later returning to Pakistan during the era of General Zia-ul-Haq's regime in the late 1970s or early 1980s, amid political instability in Libya.[6][11] This relocation exposed her to the socio-political shifts in Pakistan, including conservative influences under Zia, contrasting her initial upbringing.[7]Education and Early Influences
Reham Khan was born on 3 April 1973 in Ajdabiya, Libya, to Pakistani parents of Pashtun ethnicity from the Swati tribe's Lughmani Sarkheli sub-clan. Her father, Nayyar Ramzan, worked as a physician, fostering an environment that valued education and professional achievement amid frequent relocations and exposure to multicultural settings during her childhood. This upbringing, blending traditional Pashtun heritage with liberal family dynamics and international experiences, shaped her early perspectives on independence and public engagement, as detailed in her 2018 memoir.[10][12] Khan pursued formal education in Pakistan, obtaining a Bachelor of Education degree from Jinnah College for Women in Peshawar. This qualification provided foundational training in teaching and communication, aligning with her family's emphasis on scholarly pursuits. At age 19, she entered an arranged first marriage, which later proved abusive and influenced her resolve for self-reliance, prompting relocation to the United Kingdom in the early 1990s to escape domestic challenges and seek professional opportunities.[13][12][14] In the UK, Khan undertook broadcast media training rather than a formal degree program, commencing work as a reporter for BBC regional outlet South Today after completing a postgraduate course at what was then North Lindsey College (later affiliated with Grimsby Institute). A 2015 Daily Mail investigation contested her prior online claims of a broadcast journalism degree from the institution, which confirmed no such program existed and no record of her enrollment under that name. Khan responded that she had never asserted possession of a degree, only course completion in broadcast media, and updated her professional biography accordingly to reflect Grimsby Institute involvement. This episode highlighted discrepancies in her early career credentials but did not impede her entry into journalism.[15][16][17]Professional Career
Entry into Journalism
Reham Khan began her journalism career in the United Kingdom in 2006, hosting shows on Legal TV, a British legal affairs channel.[18] She transitioned in 2007 to presenting roles at Sunshine Radio, focusing on breakfast news and local content.[18] In 2008, Khan joined the BBC as a broadcast journalist, initially working as a weather forecaster and reporter for the regional program South Today.[3] Her entry into the BBC followed completion of short postgraduate courses in broadcast journalism, though her claimed qualification from North Lindsey College faced scrutiny in 2015, with the institution denying issuance of a journalism degree under her name; Khan dismissed the allegations as politically motivated.[16] [19] During her BBC tenure, she covered regional stories and appeared on air, gaining experience in on-camera reporting amid reported challenges in securing permanent roles without formal UK-recognized credentials.[18]Broadcasting and Media Roles
Reham Khan initiated her broadcasting career in May 2006 as a lead presenter and producer at Legal TV, a British television channel focused on legal programming.[20] Her early roles encompassed presenting and producing content related to legal affairs.[21] In July 2008, Khan joined the BBC as a senior broadcast journalist with BBC South, where she served as a presenter on the regional program South Today and delivered weather forecasts.[18] [15] [22] Her work at the BBC spanned diverse topics, including meteorology, social issues, and political analysis, building on short journalism courses she completed prior to joining.[21] [18] Following her relocation to Pakistan in 2013, Khan transitioned to Pakistani media outlets, contributing to leading institutions such as PTV in roles involving journalism and presentation.[21] In May 2015, she hosted The Reham Khan Show on Dawn News, a talk show format that debuted on May 24 and featured profiles of Pakistani figures in various fields.[23] Her Pakistani broadcasting engagements emphasized political commentary and social reporting, aligning with her prior expertise.[21]Filmmaking and Other Ventures
Reham Khan produced her debut feature film, the romantic comedy Janaan, released in September 2016. The film, set in Swat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, addressed themes including pedophilia through a light narrative and starred Armeena Rana Khan, Bilal Ashraf, and Hania Aamir, with direction by Azfar Jafri and screenplay by Osman Khalid Butt.[24] Co-produced with Munir Hussain, Imran Raza Kazmi, and Hareem Farooq under IRK Films, Janaan marked Khan's initial foray into Pakistani cinema amid her transition from broadcasting.[25] In February 2024, Khan announced her second production, the Punjabi-language film Cheema, Chattha and Bajwa, positioning it as a return to entertainment following Janaan's success.[26] [27] Details on the project's cast, director, or release date remained undisclosed as of the announcement, with Khan describing it as a feature film venture.[26] Beyond filmmaking, Khan has engaged in arts patronage, supporting youth initiatives and Pakistani cinema development post-2016. Her ventures emphasize charitable elements, such as sensitively tackling social issues in productions like Janaan.[21]Personal Life
First Marriage and Children
Reham Khan married Ijaz Rehman, a British psychiatrist and her first cousin, in 1993 when she was 19 years old.[28] [29] The couple's marriage lasted until their divorce in 2005.[28] [29] From this marriage, Khan has three children: one son, Sahir Rehman, and two daughters, Inaya Rehman and Ridha Rehman.[8] [30] The children have resided with Khan in the United Kingdom since the divorce.[31] Post-divorce, Rehman has publicly accused Khan of manipulating family dynamics and using the separation to advance her career, while Khan has alleged domestic violence by Rehman, claims supported by legal findings in UK courts restricting his proximity to the family home.[32] These mutual allegations highlight ongoing familial tensions, though custody arrangements have remained with Khan.Marriage to Imran Khan
Reham Khan married Imran Khan, founder and chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, in a private nikkah ceremony on January 8, 2015, at his residence in Bani Gala, Islamabad.[33] The event, attended by close family and PTI affiliates, followed months of speculation about their relationship, which reportedly began after Reham interviewed Imran for a BBC documentary on PTI in 2013.[34] Imran publicly confirmed the marriage days earlier on January 6, 2015, emphasizing it as a personal matter aligned with his religious convictions against publicizing private unions prematurely.[35] A walima reception was held on January 9, 2015, marking the public celebration of the wedding. The marriage, Imran's second after his 1995–2004 union with Jemima Goldsmith, integrated Reham into his family and political orbit, though she maintained her professional independence as a journalist. Reports from the period noted tensions arising from Reham's perceived influence on PTI affairs and family dynamics, including clashes with Imran's sisters over household matters, but these remain anecdotal from partisan sources. The couple resided primarily at Bani Gala, with Reham occasionally accompanying Imran on campaign trails amid PTI's preparations for the 2018 general elections. The marriage ended after roughly 10 months, with divorce announced by Imran Khan on October 30, 2015, via a statement citing irreconcilable differences and mutual consent.[36][37] Reham corroborated the mutual nature of the decision, stating it was agreed upon a month prior to her return to the UK for work, refuting claims of abrupt notification via text.[38] No children resulted from the union, and both parties emphasized privacy post-divorce, though Pakistani media speculated on factors like family interference and Reham's media background clashing with PTI's conservative base—claims unverified beyond contemporary reporting.[39]Post-Divorce Relationships
Following her divorce from Imran Khan on October 30, 2015, Reham Khan married Mirza Bilal Baig, a Pakistani model and actor, on December 22, 2022, marking her third marriage.[40][41] Baig, born in 1990, is approximately 13 years younger than Khan, who was 41 at the time of the wedding.[40] The marriage was confirmed through social media posts by the couple, though Khan had previously been linked to divorce rumors earlier in 2022, which she addressed by noting receipt of marriage proposals amid speculation.[42] The couple has shared public glimpses of their relationship, including anniversary celebrations. In December 2024, they marked their second wedding anniversary with a bridal photoshoot at Lahore's Badshahi Mosque, featuring Khan in traditional attire, which briefly reignited online rumors of a fourth marriage before being clarified as an anniversary tribute.[43][44] No children have been reported from this union, and Khan continues to co-parent her three children from her first marriage.[28]Political Involvement
Association with PTI During Marriage
Reham Khan's marriage to Imran Khan, PTI chairman, lasted from January 2015 to October 2015, during which she provided limited support to the party's electoral efforts despite lacking an official role. In June 2015, PTI considered nominating her as a candidate for the NA-19 (Haripur) by-election re-polls, reflecting early speculation about her potential political involvement.[45] She actively campaigned for PTI's candidate in that constituency, attending events at the insistence of party members, particularly women, as Imran Khan later clarified via Twitter on August 18, 2015.[46][47] PTI's loss in the NA-19 by-election on August 17, 2015, triggered backlash against Khan, including online attacks and criticism from some party workers who blamed her influence for the defeat.[48] In response, Imran Khan announced the same day that she would neither contest elections on a PTI ticket nor attend future party events, citing her existing commitments to social work with street children and expressing disgust at the attacks on her.[49][50] This decision effectively curtailed her public association with PTI amid internal party tensions, though some observers noted her informal sway resembled that of influential spouses in other Pakistani parties.[51] Later in October 2015, shortly before the divorce, Khan briefly rejoined campaigning efforts in Lahore for PTI's provincial by-election drives, adding visibility to the party's outreach.[52] Her involvement remained sporadic and unofficial, focused on mobilizing support in specific locales rather than broader party strategy, and ended with the couple's separation by mutual consent on October 31, 2015.[53]Criticisms of PTI and Imran Khan Post-Divorce
Following their divorce on October 30, 2015, Reham Khan publicly attributed the marriage's failure to personal incompatibilities and potential conspiracies involving Imran Khan's political associates within the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), suggesting internal party pressures contributed to the breakdown.[54] She refuted PTI claims of financial settlements or her physical aggression toward Khan, describing such accusations as baseless attempts to discredit her amid the divorce proceedings.[55] Khan's 2018 memoir, published on July 12, detailed extensive criticisms of PTI's internal operations, alleging widespread nepotism in the allocation of party election tickets, where selections favored loyalists, family members, and cronies over qualified candidates, undermining the party's merit-based rhetoric.[56] The book further accused PTI officials of fraud and theft, including efforts to suppress its release through harassment and manuscript interference.[57] Regarding Imran Khan personally, Khan claimed he engaged in cocaine use, maintained an extramarital affair with Bushra Bibi (later his third wife), and fathered an illegitimate child, portraying him as hypocritical in his public moral stance.[56][58] These allegations, drawn from Khan's firsthand observations during her marriage (January to October 2015), were timed ahead of Pakistan's July 2018 general elections, prompting PTI to denounce the memoir as politically motivated fabrications sponsored by opponents, though Khan maintained it was not vengeful but a factual account.[56][57] In subsequent interviews, she reiterated concerns over PTI's governance flaws post-election, including unchecked influence by unelected aides, but these echoed themes from the book without introducing new empirical evidence.[59] PTI leaders, including Khan himself, countered by labeling the disclosures as the "biggest mistake" of his life in marrying her and part of a broader smear campaign.[58]Formation of New Political Party in 2025
In July 2025, Reham Khan announced the formation of the Pakistan Republic Party (PRP) during a public event in Karachi on July 15.[60][61] The party positions itself as a "people-powered movement" aimed at challenging entrenched dynastic politics and providing a platform for underrepresented groups, including women and farmers.[62][63] Khan described the PRP's mission as replacing "big politicians" with accountable representatives committed to constitutional values, emphasizing accountability for the ruling elite and amplifying the voices of ordinary citizens.[60][64] She pledged to release the party's manifesto in the near future, outlining policies grounded in Pakistan's foundational principles.[60][65] The launch marks Khan's formal entry into independent political organizing, distinct from her prior associations, with the PRP structured to contest upcoming elections by fielding non-dynastic candidates.[66][65] As of October 2025, the party has begun grassroots mobilization, though specific membership figures or electoral registrations remain undisclosed in public announcements.[64][63]Memoir and Publications
Writing and Release of "Reham Khan"
Reham Khan began writing her memoir in September 2017, shortly after her divorce from Imran Khan was finalized in late 2015, with the first draft completed by December 2017.[67] The book, self-published under SK Publications, details her life experiences including her marriages, career in broadcasting, and political associations in Pakistan.[68] Despite interest from international publishers, Khan opted for self-publication to control the narrative and timing, amid reported leaks of excerpts attributed to PTI supporters in June 2018.[59] The memoir was released on July 12, 2018, via Kindle on Amazon and in paperback in the UK, coinciding with the lead-up to Pakistan's general election on July 25, 2018.[69] This timing drew accusations from PTI that the publication aimed to undermine Imran Khan's electoral prospects, as the 548-page volume included personal allegations against him and the party.[70] A hardback edition followed on July 10, with HarperCollins India acquiring rights for an August 2018 paperback release in that market.[7] The launch generated immediate frenzy in Pakistan and diaspora communities, with physical copies quickly selling out online.[70]Key Content and Allegations
Reham Khan's memoir chronicles her upbringing in Libya and Pakistan, her entry into broadcast journalism in the United Kingdom, an allegedly abusive first marriage to Dr. Ijaz Rehman that ended in 2012 after 12 years and produced three children, and her brief courtship and marriage to Imran Khan in 2015. The narrative frames her union with Khan as initially hopeful but marred by his inconsistent behavior, culminating in divorce on October 23, 2015, shortly before his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party gained prominence in the 2015 local elections.[12][10] A significant portion details Khan's personal life, alleging extramarital affairs during their marriage, including purported homosexual encounters and drug use that strained their relationship. Khan is portrayed as hypocritical, publicly projecting religious piety and moral superiority while privately exhibiting moral lapses, such as feigning faith for political gain.[59][56][12] The book levels accusations against PTI's internal dynamics, claiming corruption among its ranks where Khan allegedly depended on affluent donors expecting quid pro quo favors, including land deals and policy influences. Specific allegations target associates like PTI leader Arif Nauman Khawaja, accused of an illicit relationship with Khan and wielding undue control over party decisions.[71][72] Reham alleges PTI members harassed her post-divorce to suppress the manuscript, including hacking attempts ordered by party figures, and claims the book's leak before its July 12, 2018, release was politically motivated by opponents of Khan ahead of the July 25 general elections. These contentions, drawn from her firsthand account, sparked legal threats from PTI affiliates who deemed them defamatory.[56][57][73]Bibliography
- Khan, Reham. Reham Khan. SK Publications, 2018. ISBN 978-1-916415-21-8.[4]
- Khan, Reham. Reham Khan. HarperCollins Publishers India, 2018. ISBN 978-93-5302-321-8.[7]
