Imran marries for 3rd time, ties knot with ‘spiritual guide’

Islamabad: Former cricketer and Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan has tied the knot with his spiritual mentor Bushra Maneka, in what is his third marriage.

The 65-year-old flamboyant Pakistani cricketer-turned-politician married Ms Maneka, who is in her late 40s and has five children from her first marriage, at her residen-ce in Lahore on Sunday night, the PTI said.

Mufti Saeed solemnised the nikah (marriage contract) at a simple ceremony attended by Mr Khan’s friend Zulfi Bukhari and PTI leader Aun Chaudhry.

The PTI later released photographs of the marriage and confirmed that the bride had shifted to Mr Khan’s place. A photo of the couple showed Mr Khan wearing a dark blazer over a traditional white shalwar kameez, while Ms Maneka is clad head-to-feet in a grey robe with a red veil covering her face.

Media reports had claimed that the marriage had actually taken place in January and that Mr Khan was waiting for any appropriate time to announce the wedding.

According to reports, Mr Khan, who captained the Pakistan team when it won the Cricket World Cup in 1992, had started visiting Ms Maneka over a year ago to seek spiritual advice. Bushra Maneka belongs to the Wattoo clan, of which the Manekas are a sub-clan.

Earlier, she was married to Khawar Farid Maneka, a senior customs official in Islamabad, but parted ways a few months ago.

The PTI chief has been married twice before. His first marriage was with Jemima Goldsmith, daughter of a British billionaire in 1995. The couple divorced in 2004. Mr Khan’s second marriage to TV anchor Reham Khan dissolved 10 months after a public ceremony had taken place in January 2015.

According to reports, Mr Khan, , who captained the Pakistan team when it won the Cricket World Cup in 1992, had started visiting Mr Bushra over a year ago to seek spiritual advice.

“He got closer to her when some of the political predictions she made about his party came true. Later, both developed some intimacy and, finally, Ms Bushra took divorce from her husband and contracted marriage with Mr Khan early last month,” the sources said.

Mr Khan had dismissed reports of a secret marriage with her, claiming he had only sent a wedding proposal to her and was awaiting her response. Mr Khan said that she had sought some time to consult her family, especially her children, before making any decision.