Zulfi asks Reham to apologise for ‘attacking’ Imran’s new wife

LONDON: A close friend and confidante of PTI Chairman Imran Khan has asked Reham Khan to apologise for her “disgusting insult” in relation to Imran Khan’s third marriage with Bushra Wattoo.

British Pakistani businessman Zulfi Bukhari, who was witness to Imran Khan’s third marriage and is considered very close to him, lambasted Imran’s ex-wife after her interview to a British newspaper in which she said her former husband’s marriage to Bushra Wattoo was a public relations (PR) stunt and that the photos of wedding released to the media by the PTI were “cringe-worthy” to dupe the public into thinking that the couple were pious people.

Reham had claimed that “to have a woman veiled head to toe, he had alienated a lot of people”.

On Saturday, Zulfi Bukhari issued a scathing statement on a social media site, accusing Reham of “pandering to tabloids” and “in the process” insulting hijab-wearing women around the world.

Defending Bushra Wattoo, Zulfi Bukhari wrote: “Hijab/veil-wearing women face hate and abuse in many parts of the western world. Their everyday struggle and fight for liberty from France to America has just been insulted by Reham. An apology is required for this disgusting insult.” Zulfi Bukhari had played a central role when Imran divorced Reham Khan towards the end of 2015 and was at the centre of Imran Khan’s third marriage to Bushra Wattoo on 1st of January 2018. Pictures released by the PTI show Zulfi standing behind Imran Khan and Bushra Wattoo. It’s understood that only Awn Chaudhry, Mufti Saeed and Zulfi Bukhari were aware of the secret wedding plans in Lahore.

Reham Khan married Imran Khan on October 31, 2015 and was divorced the same day on October 31, 2016.

Reham had claimed that the divorce date was decided and picked by Imran Khan’s third wife – then married to Khawar Fareed Maneka and known as Bushra Maneka.

She says Imran Khan had asked her through a text message that he needed names of her parents because his spiritual guide needed names of her parents to decide the marriage date.

A source close to Reham Khan said Zulfi Bukhari could never have made statements against Reham without Imran’s approval. Zulfi Bukhari and Reham Khan were on good terms when she was still married to Imran Khan.

Imran had tasked him with negotiating with Reham after the couple went separate ways and Zulfi was filmed with her in meetings post-divorce.

A senior PTI leader had said at that time that Imran Khan had given his friend the responsibility to “deal” with Reham.

Those talks went on for at least two weeks in London but neither Reham nor Zulfi ever spoke publicly about that – until now.

A PTI source said Zulfi Bukhari had spent most of the time since the end of February with Imran Khan in Banigala where issues and strategy related to their marriage were discussed.