Imran Khan and former BBC presenter wife Reham to divorce after just ten months of marriage

Imran Khan and his former BBC presenter wife are divorcing after just ten months of marriage, they announced today.

The cricketer-turned-politician married divorced mother-of-three Reham Khan in January, to the anger of conservative Muslims and even his own sister.

Mr Khan, who was previously married to Jemima Goldsmith, said today: “This is a painful time for me, Reham, and our families. I would request everyone to respect our privacy. I have the greatest respect for Reham’s moral character and her passion to work for and help the underprivileged.

“Reports and speculation about financial settlements are absolutely false and shameful.”

Mrs Khan added: “We have decided to part ways and file for divorce.”

Sources close to the politician, who is chairman of Pakistan’s opposition Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, told the Dawn newspaper the couple were “just not getting along” any more.

The source said: “She wanted to get involved with politics and that is not what Khan wanted at all. She just did not want to sit at home.

“There were teething problems as well over other issues which were being resolved but this was a major issue – she wanted to get into politics and was not ready to back down.”

Another source claimed there was “a lot of pressure on Khan” from his family to divorce.

Mr Khan’s spokesman Naeem Ul Haque said: “Chairman PTI Imran Khan and Reham Khan have decided to divorce by mutual consent. Due to the sensitivity and seriousness of this extremely painful matter it is requested that the media should refrain from any speculation.

“There will be no further communication in this respect.”

He added 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 Mrs Khan was campaigning in a by-election for a candidate from her husband’s party, who ended up losing.

Mr Khan later announced his wife would not have a political career with his party.

Mrs Khan 41, has faced criticism from political opponents who accused her of using her husband’s fame and position to boost her own profile.

She has also endured criticism on social media from conservative Muslim Pakistanis after their marriage became public and pictures and videos surfaced of her in Western outfits.

The journalist, who has three children from a previous marriage to a doctor, was a weather girl and presenter on BBC regional news programme South Today.

The couple married at a low-key wedding ceremony in Islamabad, but none of Mr Khan’s family was invited.

At the time he told critics that marriage was not a crime.

Mr Khan, who once had a reputation as a playboy, previously married Ms Goldsmith in 1995.

She converted to Islam and the couple moved in with his family in Lahore before divorcing nine years later.

Last year Mr Khan was at the helm of major protests and rallies calling for political reform and for Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to step down.