Watch FIFA World Cup 2026™

LIVE, FREE and EXCLUSIVE starting June 12 2026

Pakistan's ex-cricket star politician and journalist end marriage

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistani cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan and his wife, Reham Khan, have filed for divorce, they said on Friday, ending a whirlwind romance that captivated international tabloids and Pakistani voters.

Pakistan's ex-cricket star politician and journalist end marriage
(Reuters)

Imran Khan, who captained the Pakistan team when it won the Cricket World Cup in 1992, tied the knot with the former BBC journalist in a low-key ceremony in January.

"We have decided to part ways and file for divorce," Reham Khan said on Twitter.

Imran later took to Twitter to express his "greatest respect for Reham's moral character and her passion to work for and help the underprivileged".

"This is a painful time for me and Reham and our families. I would request everyone to respect our privacy," he said.

News that makes sense

Your trusted source for staying up-to-date with the world around you. Get free daily news updates and analysis, straight to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

The little known journalist endured criticism on social media from conservative Muslim Pakistanis after her marriage to Khan became public and pictures and videos surfaced of her on-screen in Western outfits.

Imran Khan, who developed a playboy reputation in his younger days, built a political power base in Pakistan's deeply conservative north.

His party became the country's third largest in a 2013 election after he advocated talks with Pakistani Taliban insurgents and criticised the United States for drone strikes in militant areas.

Khan's party spokesman, Naeem ul Haque, said in a television interview the divorce had been finalised with the consent of both parties.

Rumours of the end of the marriage first circulated in August when Reham was campaigning to support a candidate from her husband's party in a by-election.

The candidate lost the vote and later Imran announced that his wife would not have a political career with his party.

Khan's previous marriage to British socialite Jemima Khan, the daughter of the financier James Goldsmith, ended in 2004. Khan's political rivals used the marriage to attack Khan by emphasising her Jewish roots.

(Writing by Mehreen Zahra-Malik; Editing by Robert Birsel)


2 min read

Published

Updated

Source: Reuters



Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News straight to your inbox

Sign up now for daily news from Australia and around the world. You can also subscribe to Insight's weekly newsletter for in-depth features and first-person stories.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Follow SBS News

Download our apps

Listen to our podcasts

Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service

Stream now

Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world