Pakistan

Reham Khan faces online backlash over 'beard desecration' picture

The anchor-turned-politician also mocks PTI asking the party to 'edit' her upcoming autobiography's cover

News Desk June 30, 2018

Reham Khan. PHOTO: FILE

Reham Khan, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan's former wife, drew ire of social media users on Saturday after she posted a doctored picture of herself 'wearing a beard'.

"So a while ago I was offered to join a party," the anchor-turned-politician said in a post on micro-blogging site Twitter. "I said I might not be able to cover my face but I could grow a beard..looks rather fetching on me."

https://twitter.com/RehamKhan1/status/1012795712076156928

Reham then mocked arch-rival PTI, saying, "dear PTI I am looking for someone to edit my book cover....wanna help?

However, the fake beard and attire, the latter apparently resembling that of a renowned scholar, did not go down well with social media users who condemned, what they called, a 'desecrating' act.

Media portraying me as a woman of ‘bad character’: Reham Khan

https://twitter.com/UmairAlam75/status/1012800149326913542

https://twitter.com/bakarsheikh97/status/1012799797106020352

https://twitter.com/Javediqbal414/status/1012828584891895808

https://twitter.com/Shzdrai/status/1012796949815353344

https://twitter.com/TNasim15/status/1012801213207928843

https://twitter.com/AzmatK9/status/1012800717206228993

https://twitter.com/lovelyasman/status/1013000377107611648

https://twitter.com/Haanii_r7/status/1012973032397295616

https://twitter.com/adeelahmad321/status/1012952250153660416

https://twitter.com/RashidJSh/status/1012800816447672322

https://twitter.com/greenlight3333/status/1013067039831883776

Reham is already facing a controversy on her upcoming 'tell-all' autobiography, which her rivals say is intended at influencing upcoming general elections allegedly to her benefit.

The book, scheduled to be published in July or August reportedly includes details of the journalist's interactions with various celebrities and her marriage with Imran. Some of those details apparently crossed a line for businessman Zulfikar Bukhari, Reham’s first husband Ijaz Rehman, cricketer Wasim Akram, and PTI International Media Coordinator Anila Khawaja.