Karachi/New Delhi — In a bold political move, Reham Khan — former wife of jailed ex-Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan — has entered Pakistan’s turbulent political arena with the launch of her new outfit, the Pakistan Republic Party (PRP).
Unveiling the party’s logo at a press conference at the Karachi Press Club on July 15, Reham, a former journalist and media personality, declared her mission to “replace dynastic politics” and bring “hope, dignity, and representation” to ordinary citizens, especially women and farmers.
“The whole of Pakistan is my constituency,” Reham asserted, pledging to focus on legal and social reforms, especially in basic healthcare, clean drinking water, and farmers’ welfare.
Positioning her party as an alternative to the entrenched political families, she accused mainstream parties of serving “personal empires,” adding, “No one in our party will contest from four constituencies or play political games.”
Once known for her brief marriage to Imran Khan in 2014, which ended within a year, Reham Khan has since re-emerged as a public figure critical of Pakistan’s ruling elite. She described her new political journey as a “movement to turn politics into public service.”
Pakistan’s political landscape is already crowded with dominant players like the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP). With PTI’s leader Imran Khan behind bars since August 2023 and the economy in dire straits, Reham’s party adds a fresh — and controversial — dimension to the country’s shifting political dynamics.
Experts remain cautious about PRP’s future, as Pakistan grapples with a debt crisis, inflation, and diminishing public trust in governance. Whether Reham Khan’s new political chapter can make a real impact remains to be seen.
