Elections are due in Pakistan in two weeks but for now, many people across the border do not seem to be excessively focussed on manifestoes or campaign rallies. Instead, a tell-all biography by Reham Khan, journalist and former wife of Pakistani cricketer-turned-politician, Imran Khan, has seems to have taken the country by storm. The book, claims the description on Amazon, “touches on sensitive issues, both political and social, and the author has had to resist extreme bullying, harassment and life-threatening situations to bring it to you”.
The self-titled book, released Thursday, comes at a crucial juncture fo the 65-year-old Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Imran Khan, who hopes to become prime minister after the election.
In the book, though, his former wife has described Imran Khan as a man who headed “a bizarre life” of “sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll”. The book also claims that the former cricketing star has admitted to having “some” illegitimate children.
Reham Khan says that she would invoke Narenda Modi’s journey for her husband when hespoke about how he wanted to lead Pakistan. “I would gently and repeatedly give the example of Modi, the Indian Prime Minister, who was Chief Minister of Gujarat for a decade, and then elected to the top job because his seemingly strong governance record, despite all the other negative baggage,” she wrote.
All this this was fodder for social media. Some users have mocked the book for its vivid details and other personal anecdotes.
Some users criticised the biography as being “vile”, “worthless” and “pornographic”. Another user claimed that Reham Khan had “destroyed reputations” by writing about others’ “sex lives”.
Other than the criticism, there were also some who praised Reham Khan for her work and “courage” she showed by writing this book.
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