A new biography of Imran Khan has claimed the former international cricketer and Benazir Bhutto, the assassinated former Prime Minister of Pakistan, were romantically involved while they were both students at Oxford University.
Published: 9:33AM BST 19 Aug 2009
Previous
1 of 2 Images
Next
Author claims Benazir Bhutto and Imran Khan were an item at Oxford University Photo: AFP
The respected author, Christopher Sandford, has claimed that Bhutto became infatuated with Khan and the pair enjoyed a "close" and possibly "sexual" relationship.
He also alleges that Khan's mother tried, unsuccessfully, to organise an arranged marriage between the pair.
Until now, it had always been believed that Khan and Bhutto had always been at loggerheads both politically and personally. Khan openly criticised the former prime minister just days before her death.
However, Sandford, who interviewed both Khan and his ex-wife Jemima for the book, claims a source told him that Bhutto was 21 and in her second year of reading politics at Lady Margaret Hall when she became close to Khan in 1975.
The source told Sandford she had been "visibly impressed" by Khan and may even have been the first to call him the "Lion of Lahore".
"In any event, it seems fairly clear that, for at least a month or two, the couple were close. There was a lot of giggling and blushing whenever they appeared together in public," Sandford told the Daily Mail.
He added: "It also seems fair to say that the relationship was "sexual", in the sense that it could only have existed between a man and a woman. The reason some supposed it went further was because, to quote one Oxford friend: 'Imran slept with everyone.'"
However, Khan strongly denies that he ever had a sexual relationship with Bhutto.
He agrees he was interviewed for the book, but has not yet read it.
He told the Daily Mail: "Yes, I was interviewed, but I know nothing about the rest of what has been written. So it is not official.
"It is absolute nonsense about any sexual relationship or my mother and an arranged marriage. We were friends that's all."
Biography claims Imran Khan and Benazir Bhutto were romantically involved - Telegraph
Published: 9:33AM BST 19 Aug 2009
Previous
1 of 2 Images
Next
Author claims Benazir Bhutto and Imran Khan were an item at Oxford University Photo: AFP
The respected author, Christopher Sandford, has claimed that Bhutto became infatuated with Khan and the pair enjoyed a "close" and possibly "sexual" relationship.
He also alleges that Khan's mother tried, unsuccessfully, to organise an arranged marriage between the pair.
Until now, it had always been believed that Khan and Bhutto had always been at loggerheads both politically and personally. Khan openly criticised the former prime minister just days before her death.
However, Sandford, who interviewed both Khan and his ex-wife Jemima for the book, claims a source told him that Bhutto was 21 and in her second year of reading politics at Lady Margaret Hall when she became close to Khan in 1975.
The source told Sandford she had been "visibly impressed" by Khan and may even have been the first to call him the "Lion of Lahore".
"In any event, it seems fairly clear that, for at least a month or two, the couple were close. There was a lot of giggling and blushing whenever they appeared together in public," Sandford told the Daily Mail.
He added: "It also seems fair to say that the relationship was "sexual", in the sense that it could only have existed between a man and a woman. The reason some supposed it went further was because, to quote one Oxford friend: 'Imran slept with everyone.'"
However, Khan strongly denies that he ever had a sexual relationship with Bhutto.
He agrees he was interviewed for the book, but has not yet read it.
He told the Daily Mail: "Yes, I was interviewed, but I know nothing about the rest of what has been written. So it is not official.
"It is absolute nonsense about any sexual relationship or my mother and an arranged marriage. We were friends that's all."
Biography claims Imran Khan and Benazir Bhutto were romantically involved - Telegraph
so ??even if they were .
