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

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."

So a while ago I was offered to join a party. I said I might not be able to cover my face but I could grow a beard..looks rather fetching on me. pic.twitter.com/URXyfJc0jL

— Reham Khan (@RehamKhan1) June 29, 2018

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.

Disgusting, unfortunate & sad!
This is disrespect not only to @muftimenk but also you!
How low will they go☹️

— Umair Alam (@UmairAlam75) June 29, 2018

Don’t make fun of beard. 🙏

— Sheikh Abubakar (@bakarsheikh97) June 29, 2018

پردہ اور داڑھی دونوں شرعی عمل ہیں، اور آپ کے اختیار میں بھی ہیں، نہیں اپنانا چاہتے تو مت اپنائیں لیکن اپنی انا کی وقتی تسکین کیلئے اسلامی شعار کا مذاق مت بنائیں۔
اللّہ سب کو ہدایت دیں

— Javed Iqbal (@Javediqbal414) June 29, 2018

Dil Torr dia
Ye apne Acha nai kia
Darhi ka mazaq urra k.

— Shzdrai (@Shzdrai) June 29, 2018

Utterly disgraceful.

— Tabz (@TeeEnn15) June 29, 2018

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

کچھ تو اخلاقیات و مذہب کا پاس رکھیں اب آپ داڑھی کا مذاق اڑا رہی ہیں یا علما کا؟
اللہ کا خوف کریں آپ اپنے آپ کو کیا ثابت کرنا چاہتی ہیں،

— mehere ᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠ (@mehere68) June 30, 2018

Making fun of beard 😟

— Haani 🐯 (@Haanii_r7) June 30, 2018

You have lost it - you need to see a doctor ASAP

— Adeel Ahmad (@adeelahmad321) June 30, 2018

Don't make joke of beard please.

— Rashid Javed (@RashidJ43) June 29, 2018

اس طرح سے #مذہبی اقدار کا مذاق اڑانا نہایت ہی شرمناک فعل ہے۔

— Itsme (@greenlight3333) June 30, 2018

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.