News Analysis |
Fawad Chaudary, the Secretary Information and Central Spokes-Person of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) has accused Reham Khan of being a part of “PMLN’s agenda”. He tweeted a picture of Reham Khan’s meeting in London with Hussain Haqqani, the former Pakistan ambassador to the US, and wrote “This is extremely unfortunate that #PMLn is yet again resorting to third-degree tactics and using woman to malign political opponents and old players are out for this task #RehamOnPMLNAgenda”
This is extremely unfortunate that #PMLn is yet again resorting to third degree tactics and using woman to malign political opponants and old players are out for this task #RehamOnPMLNAgenda pic.twitter.com/KHwU5DCvBH
— Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) June 1, 2018
Haqqani replied to Fawad Hussain in a tweet stating, “Stop panicking, Fawad. If you had been in London today and in the same store as I, I’m sure you and I would have said ‘hello’ to each other too. (Unless you have lost your family’s vazadari & embraced youthia culture) & you shd know I have nothing to do with PML currently”.
Read more: Is Reham Khan dancing to PML-N’s tune?
Reham Khan, the former wife of PTI chief Imran Khan, is going to launch her autobiography next week in London. Reham Khan has become a strong critic of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf after her divorce from Imran Khan. PTI leadership has accused her of joining hands with PML-N to malign Imran Khan.
Regarding her book, Reham Khan explained that it is mainly about her life as a journalist and mother but mentioned that the PTI chief features in it because he was once a part of her life, “albeit an unpleasant one”.
Read more: Reham accuses Imran Khan of ‘cheating’ during their marriage
According to sources, Reham Khan in her autobiography has leveled serious allegations against her former husband. After reportedly receiving threats, Reham Khan temporarily left Pakistan and fled to London along with her children. However, she has stated her intention of returning after the launch of her book. A Pakistani has also filed a petition against Reham Khan’s book content in a court in London. Meanwhile, PML-N seems to be really excited about Reham Khan’s autobiography and already seem to be familiar with the content of the book. Last year, senior PML-N leader Hanif Abbasi said that if Reham Khan were to release her book, PTI chief Imran Khan would hide his face in shame.
Had a very unfortunate experience of reading a manuscript of Reham Khans book. Here is the summary: IK is the most evil man to walk the face of this planet. Reham is the most pious righteous (Tahajjud guzaar) woman ever and Shehbaz Sharif is an amazing guy! #RehamOnPMLNAgenda
— Hamza Ali Abbasi (@iamhamzaabbasi) June 1, 2018
Veteran journalist Haroon Rashid accused her of receiving massive funding from PMLN. “Poor Reham cannot venture to write on her own. Massive funding from PML-N and foreign authors have been engaged in the task.” PPP Senator Aitzaz Ahsan stated the Sharif brothers of repeating the “dirty politics of the 1990s when they targeted Benazir Bhutto. Now they are using Reham and Ayesha Gulalai against Imran.”
There have been instances in politics, all over the world, where the marital standing of a potential presidential candidate may have severally impacted the election outcomes. Especially divorce itself was enough to ruin a candidacy.
Reham Khan has been vocal about the threats and backlash she received after her divorce, from the general public, and from PTI leadership. In a controversial revelation, Reham stated that Khan had sent her a message, “You should leave for the UK and give the impression that your kids could not be settled here [Pakistan].” She termed it a “masked threat”, she said she “knows the ability of these people [PTI members]”.
Can the ex-wife wreak havoc on a campaign?
There have been instances in politics, all over the world, where the marital standing of a potential presidential candidate may have severely impacted the election outcomes. Especially divorce itself was enough to ruin a candidacy. The Republican presidential nominee, Nelson Rockefeller’s ex-wife said nothing after he left her for another woman, but the divorce helped destroy his presidential dreams. Similarly, when Bill Clinton-Monica Lewinsky Scandal erupted in 1998, the then-first lady Hillary Clinton stood by her husband perhaps to save his presidential career. Hillary dismissed the allegations as a “vast right-wing conspiracy that has been conspiring against my husband since the day he announced his run for president.”
Read more: Twitter reacts to Reham Khan’s innuendoes
Opponents have used similar tactics to malign electoral campaigns just at the brink of elections. Is Reham Khan’s autobiography a similar tool? Or is PTI leadership just excessively worrying? Nevertheless, all the media attention has surely served as a strong PR for Reham’s book, even Reham Khan agrees so.
A big thank you to the biggest SM mafia for promoting my book for free on twitter yesterday.😊
— Reham Khan (@RehamKhan1) June 2, 2018