Pakistan's legendary cricket star and politician, Imran Khan, tied the knot Thursday, ending weeks of speculation about whether one of the country's most famous bachelors was getting married for a second time.
Khan married Reham Khan, a former BBC journalist who now hosts a talk show on Pakistani television, during a ceremony Thursday at his house on the outskirts of the capital, Islamabad. Party officials said it was a simple ceremony.
"We hope that this marriage will be successful, and it will be a good omen for the nation," said Naeemul Haq, a senior official with Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf political party.
Khan, who led Pakistan to the World Cup in 1992, was previously married to British socialite Jemima Khan and has two sons. His new wife reportedly has three kids from a previous marriage. Khan's PTI is the third largest party in the parliament, and he has been one of the most vocal opponents to the current government.
Pakistan has been abuzz for weeks about the remarriage and in a press conference earlier this week, Khan promised to share some good news with the country. His former wife, Jemima, with whom he had an amicable divorce, said on Twitter that she hoped Imran would be happy in the new phase of his life.
{{/usCountry}}Pakistan has been abuzz for weeks about the remarriage and in a press conference earlier this week, Khan promised to share some good news with the country. His former wife, Jemima, with whom he had an amicable divorce, said on Twitter that she hoped Imran would be happy in the new phase of his life.
{{/usCountry}}Pakistani television showed photos of the couple in formal Pakistani wedding attire. Imran wore a gold-colored achkan, a knee-length coat for formal occasions, and white pants, called salwar. His bride wore a more elaborate, silver-colored wedding outfit.
Little is known about their romance, although Reham Khan has interviewed the politician on her talk show. The two are not related, and Khan is a common family name in the country.
Weddings in Pakistan are often elaborate affairs but PTI officials said only close friends and relatives were invited to the ceremony and that instead of a reception, food and clothes would be distributed to poor families.
Even so, some opposition politicians slammed Khan for getting married at a time when the nation is still mourning last month's Taliban massacre at a Peshawar school.