PTI leadership employed sex for political purpose, claims Reham

ISLAMABAD: June is usually unbearably hot for most Pakistanis because temperatures rise to upper 40s in centigrade calculations. Many pass out, some pass on and millions sizzle in silence. Leading Pakistani politicians are finding this June hotter than usual as many of them are facing court battles or stringent scrutiny when they file their nomination papers before the election authorities. However, for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, its charismatic leader Imran Khan and his comrades, the heat is of a different nature.

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Reham Khan, Imran Khan’s former wife for 10 months, is all set to launch her biography before July elections. Signs are that the book is going to be more graphic than many would like it to be. The TV debate that the book’s purported content has generated is degenerating into downright accusations and counter accusations between supporters and opponents of Imran Khan. After speaking to almost all the leading TV anchors of prime time shows n Pakistan, Reham yesterday spoke exclusively to CNN-News18, an Indian TV channel and accused Party leadership of employing sexual favours, sexual coercion and sexual harassment for political purposes.

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Justifying her decision to go ahead with a tell-all book, Reham Khan told the channel that Pakistan's electorate must know before they decide to vote for Imran or PTI. She rubbished the charges of being a pawn for Nawaz Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) or part of a political agenda aimed at maligning Imran Khan and said book only is about her personal observations in her personal relationships and as a journalist. Reham had a short-lived marriage with the PTI chief, lasting 10 months. The tell-all book, Reham says, would also reveal instances of sexual coercion or favours, including some that directly relate to Khan.

Ms Khan said she voted for PTI in 2013 but would not do it in 2018. “Well they've done nothing in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.” She told the channel. Speaking from her intimate point of view Imran Khan is different in public and in private. “What I explore in the book is what he is inside when the make-up is off and when the cameras are off.”

To a question if Imran is opportunistic, Reham’s answer was: “Well, yes. I would be brave enough to say that people have constantly referred to the fact that he is Mr U-turn. This is what I have found really frustrating because there's a line in the book where I say I won't be voting for you next coming elections, I said that when I was his wife and he just laughed.”

Ms Khan said Imran’s rallying for changed or “new” Pakistan was mere cosmetic. “There have been certain inclusions in the party of people who have been charged for gang-rape for example. So, when I am voting for change, I don't see that change. The idea, the reason we supported Imran Khan was because he was against the status quo. But he has become a cheaper version of the status quo. It is sad that the PMLN and the Pakistan People's Party are actually looking cleaner than the PTI at the moment.”

The interviewer pressed Reham Khan hard for chapters on “boys and girls and sex and drugs and rock 'n' roll, heroin and cocaine”, and asked if any of these matters have a bearing on Imran Khan. Reham’s reply was: “I've discussed morality…. in terms of nepotism, meritocracy or the lack of it. I've discussed sexual harassment, discussed sexual coercion, and how it is used, how sexual favours are used for political positions, and media positions. And some of those are related directly to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf.”

When asked if these matters go up to Imran Khan particularly, Ms Khan said: “Well, I suppose people at the top have to take responsibility for what goes on in their household and in their party. The interviewer asked again if the matters have Imran Khan’s direct and specific involvement. “Direct involvement in positions or nepotism or favours that have nothing to do with merit. It has to do with nepotism, it has to do with bypassing meritocracy.”

But we were speaking of a little more than that. We were talking about sex and drugs, the channel asked. “Yes, I am talking about sexual favours, sexual coercion and sexual harassment. And how that needs to be addressed. That needs to be said, and I have spoken at length in the book,” Reham replied.

When asked to share some instances of supposed misdemeanor that she listed in the book, Reham said: “There are some very specific instances. So I've not spoken loosely in the book and I can't right now because the book is not published yet.” But she added that there are instances “of sexual harassment, sexual favours. There are specific instances in relation to certain positions. And I've been very specific about them…. if you turn up at my office in a particular state, or if you carry on in a work sphere like that where it causes a problem to your boss or to your colleagues, then it's a problem. So I have discussed those incidents [that] relate particularly to abuse of power.

Reham Khan’s claims have strongly been condemned and challenged by PTI’s officials in media and television talk shows. Party’s spokesman, Fawad Chaudhry said Reham Khan’s public statements dishonor all those women who wants to join politics as profession. Commenting on Ms Khan’s claims about a culture of sexual favours, sexual coercion and sexual harassment within PTI, Mr Chaudhry said taking part in Pakistani politics is not easy for women and such remarks would only discourage them still. Reham Khan’s narrative is exactly similar to the narrative that PML-N employs against PTI in public meetings, the spokesman said.