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`Imran's marriage could have survived if he had been honest'

DUBAI -" Imran Khan played with fire" was how many responded as Khaleej Times conducted a survey of over 50 Pakistanis and British residents here, seeking their views on reports that Imran Khan has decided to divorce his wife, Jemima Goldsmith.

"He thought that by marrying a billionaire's daughter, he hit a jackpot," said some. "He underestimated her father", some said, adding that he (father) was a shrewd businessman. They pointed out that when the father announced his will, he made sure that his daughter would not be able to lay any claim to his wealth. All what she could get was some little amount her father set apart by way of some special payment", they said.

"She married him sincerely but found that Imran didn't tell her truth about his past... and then there were differences between them", said Abdul Aziz, a Pakistani resident. "Marriage is a give and take. You cannot think only about your ambition, whether it is politics or sports. You have to think about your wife also. I can understand she felt so lonely there", said a Pakistani woman resident, who didn't want to be named.

"He is a failure as a politician. When his party ran for the elections, it lost out badly. It was a big rout for his party. Even top leaders were not elected", said Afzal, who does business in Deira. "He should have quit politics, as it is not his field, and instead should have concentrated on his family", he added.

"She is so young. There is a gap of nearly 20 years. How can such a marriage be successful", asked a John M, a British resident. "For her, he is almost like a father, if you look at it age-wise", he said.

"Not-so-rich people marrying from rich families will end up in trouble, and get nothing",

Did the Sita White scandal have anything to do with the ending of Imran Khan's nine-year marriage with Jemima Goldmsith? Was Jemima's vast wealth ultimately a detriment to her own marriage? These are some of the questions which will be on people's minds as the Imran-Jemima saga continues to unfold and the true story comes out as the months pass by.

The news of their divorce broke while Jemima was away in the UK completing her masters’ degree, while Imran continued with his political activities in Pakistan. Married in 1995, the couple was constantly in the glare of the media with many people speculating that the marriage may end soon, due to their vast cultural differences. Jemima was, however, quick to adopt to her husband's customs and moved to Pakistan from her home in London. Shrugging her designer clothes for shalwaar kameez, she accompanied her husband on his political campaign trail and even addressed women in halting Urdu.

Imran, leader of the Tehreek-e-Insaf party, recently assumed guardianship of his 12-year-old daughter, Tyrian, whom he had with British heiress Sita White.

Jemima and Imran have two sons from their marriage, Sulaiman, seven, and Qasim, four, and are expected to hold joint custody of their children.

Khaleej Times spoke to a cross-section of people regarding the couple's decision and how it would affect Imran's political ambitions.

Naheed Nafees, Chairperson, Pakistan Association, Ladies Wing, "I think it's very sad and unfortunate that things had to turn out this way. Although the two had vast cultural and personal differences, the recent Sita White scandal may have have been the last straw for Jemima and may have hastened their decision to divorce. Hopefully, Imran can now work better for his country and concentrate on his political career with greater steadfastness."

Devika Arora, Copywriter, "Their announcement didn't shock me at all and it was much awaited and unavoidable. I think Jemima sacrificed quite a bit for Imran and proved it time and again that she wanted to save her marriage. Be it the shift to Pakistan, the change in her appearence or even supporting her husband in his political ambitions, she did all that and more. And Imran repays her by admitting to having an affair with Sita White? The marriage could have survived if he had been honest from the beginning."

Jonathan Banks, Regional Manager, "Imran and Jemima were constantly in the public's glare and had to prove their love and commitment to each other from day one. It was doubly difficult for Jemima as she had to prove her loyalty not only to her husband but also to the Pakistani public and no marriage can survive such difficulties.

"There was also talk that money may have proved to be a decisive factor in their decision to separate, but who knows what the truth really is."

Afzal Hasan, "The decision was unavoidable. Imran jumped head long into politics not knowing that being a politician's wife is much more difficult than a settled person's. His constant travelling and the fact that he might not have been paying enough attention to his family might have resulted in their eventual separation."