Pakistan Cricket Legend Imran Khan “Second time on a hat-rick?
By.Asghar Ali Mubarak
Islamabad—–Pakistan cricket legend-turned-politician Imran Khan is now planning to 3rd Marriage “Second time for Imran Khan, is he on a hat-rick?”
Imran Khan and his second wife decided on other day part ways and are filing for divorce, the couple.Announcing the split on Twitter, Imran Khan praised his wife, former television anchor Reham Khan.”I have the greatest respect for Reham’s moral character and her passion to work for and help the underprivileged,” he said. “This is a painful time for me and Reham and our families.”Earlier Imran Khan, 62, had lived alone as a reputed playboy for 11 years following his divorce from his first wife, Briton Jemima Goldsmith.
Imran Khan and Goldsmith were married for nine years and split in 2004. He has two sons from that relationship.Loved by millions across the cricket-obsessed nation for leading Pakistan to its only World Cup win in 1992, Khan’s sporting prowess and rugged good looks enabled him to make a career in politics afterwards.His party, Pakistan Tahrik-e-Insaf, is the strongest opponent of Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s government and has its power base in Pakistan’s deeply conservative north. Reham Khan and Imran Khan have decided to part ways. And it seems, we too, have decided to part ways with sanity in the wake of their decision.It is fair to argue that a political figure does not have a personal or private life, but even so, the media and public response to the matter has been quite despicable.
The divorce came second-by-second, with flashing red tickers on TV channels that religiously engaged in seeking comments on the divorce from all and sundry; trying to claw out and probe into the reasons behind the separation; endlessly speculating and spouting sensationalism.
Relentlessly screaming:
“Second time for Imran Khan, is he on a hat-rick?”
“Reham Khan is a MI6 agent!”
TV producers across the media graced us with trashy animation over slideshows of Imran Khan and Reham Khan’s pictures, complete with lightning cracks between each photo and Bollywood scores bursting behind:
Bhula dena mujhe, Hai alvida tujhe, Tujhe jeena hai mere bina, Safar yeh tera, yeh raasta tera, Tujhe jeena hai.. mere bina. Social media filled with endless commentary on the matter, as if the divorce could have repercussions for Pakistan’s economy, foreign relations, domestic affairs or the lives of its 200 million people…because of course, Pakistan has no other issues to deal with.
It’s not like this is a country where an earthquake has just killed hundreds; where hundreds of children are systematically sexually abused for years in a village (does anyone remember that?).
This is not a country like that.So, the public response to this private matter between couples has everyone involved, everyone concerned, and everyone ready to offer an opinion.
I do wonder what the thousands of those affected by the earthquake are thinking as they watch this circus play out on TV.
