Dejected by the recent coverage of his marriage news, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan Thursday poured his heart out about the affair, saying it hurts that media was targeting his marriage with a woman, Bushra Bibi, whom he considers his spiritual leader and has never seen without a veil over the period of his acquaintance.
“I met her two years ago and whenever I met her [Bushra], I see her behind a veil. I have not seen her face to this day,” Imran clarified marriage controversy surrounding his life for the last week.
The PTI chief asked his followers to pray for his happiness, adding that out of 65 years of his age, he spent only 10 years of married life.
Even though the party and its chief deny the report, Pakistan Today has confirmed reports of the marriage of Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi that took place in January 2018.
Imran Khan married Bushra Maneka on January 1. The wedding was reportedly solemnised in the Y-Block of the Defence Housing Authority (DHA) in Lahore, soon after which Imran was granted bail by the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Islamabad.
After a period of a week, Imran responded to the media reports and said there was no wedding and that he had only sent a marriage proposal which too was clandestine. “This whole process was secretive; no one even knew that I had proposed Bushra.”
Expressing dismay over excessive media coverage, he said Bushra is a begum of a “very conservative family” while enquiring whether his wanting to wed was a ‘crime’? He also termed the media coverage as a malicious campaign launched by the Sharif family.
The PTI too denies the marriage reports. Party leader Shireen Mazari had also clarified the rumours of Imran Khan’s third marriage and said he has not tied the knot yet.
Mazari tweeted on Sunday: “To set the record straight, Mr Khan proposed marriage to Ms Bushra Maneka; but Ms Maneka asked for time to make a final decision after consulting her family, including her children.”
“If and when the proposal accepted by Ms Maneka for the marriage, Mr Khan will announce it publicly in a proper manner,” she had stated.
Party spokesperson Naeemul Haque too had dispelled this impression. “Considering my 35-year-long association and keeping in view the fact that I have been privy to his personal life, I can say with absolute confidence that nothing like this occurred,” he had said.
Denying the reports, he had said even if Imran Khan marries, he will do this after the general elections of 2018.