On 29th August the Imran Khan biography by respected author Christopher Sandford will be available all over the world. It's already made waves in press reviews for its insight into Imran Khan's love life at Oxford, including his romantic involvement with a very young Benazir Bhutto. Imran was extensively interviewed for the book but claims, having not seen the rest of the content, that "it is not official".
You can grab your copy at The Last Word as of tomorrow (29th August)
'Imran, Benazir had a roaring affair at Oxford'
AGENCIES 20 August 2009
LONDON: The author of a new biography on Imran Khan claims that the cricketer-turned-politician was romantically involved with slain Pakistan PM
| Bhutto became infatuated with Khan, and the pair enjoyed a 'close' and possibly 'sexual' relationship, says a book. |
Benazir Bhutto when both of them studied together at Oxford University. (
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In his book, Christopher Sandford has written that Bhutto became infatuated with Khan and the duo enjoyed a "close" and possibly "sexual" relationship. The author has also alleged that Khan's mother even tried to organise an arranged marriage between the pair, but to no avail.
It was believed that Khan and Bhutto had always been at loggerheads, both politically and personally. But Sandford, who interviewed both Khan and his ex-wife Jemima for the book, claimed that a source told him that Bhutto was 21 and in her second year at Lady Margaret Hall when she became close to the debonair cricketer in 1975. The source, he said, also revealed that Bhutto had been "visibly impressed" by Khan and might 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 was close. There was a lot of giggling whenever they appeared together in public," the Telegraph quoted Sandford as having 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'."
Imran rebuffed the claims, saying he never had a sexual relationship with her.
Imran Khan, Benazir Bhutto were an item, claims book
London: Author of a new biography of Imran Khan claims that the cricketer-turned-politician was romantically involved with late former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto when both of them studied together at Oxford University.
In his book, Christopher Sandford writes that Bhutto became infatuated with Khan, and the pair enjoyed a "close" and possibly "sexual" relationship.
The author has also alleged that Khan''s mother even tried to organise an arranged marriage between the pair, but to no avail.
It was believed that Khan and Bhutto had always been at loggerheads, both politically and personally.
In fact, Khan openly criticised the former Prime Minister just days before her death.
But Sandford, who interviewed both Khan and his ex-wife Jemima for the book, claimed that 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 also revealed that she had been "visibly impressed" by Khan, and might 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," the Telegraoh quoted Sandford as having 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, the former Pakistan cricket captain has rebuffed these claims, saying that he never had a sexual relationship with Benazir.
Although he agreed to having been interviewed for the book, but claimed to have not read it as yet.
"Yes, I was interviewed, but I know nothing about the rest of what has been written. So it is not official," he told the Daily Mail.
"It is absolute nonsense about any sexual relationship or my mother and an arranged marriage. We were friends - that''s all," he added.
Source: ANI
Whispers grow louder for Zardari's resignation
Tom Hussain, Foreign CorrespondentAugust 26. 2009 UAE
Asif Ali Zardari has been the victim of campaign by a powerful lobby that wants the Pakistani president to step down. François Lenoir / Reuters
ISLAMABAD // A campaign of character assassination and rumour spreading with the aim of having Asif Ali Zardari forced out as Pakistan's president is believed to be operating among the country's opposition, who long to remove the "Bhutto factor" from the political equation.
As conspiratorial as it may sound, the manifestations are obvious, the latest being advocacy of a "minus-one formula" in which the Pakistan People's Party (PPP), which leads the country's ruling coalition, would continue in power if its chairman, the highly unpopular Asif Ali Zardari, were forced out of the presidency in Richard Nixon-like fashion.
Indeed, so powerful has the rumour become over the past month that Yousaf Raza Gilani, the prime minister, was on Sunday forced to respond.
"I am well aware of the designs of the opponents of my party. They are giving an impression that our party would emerge stronger and the government would complete its term if I agree to the minus-one formula. But they are working to send the whole set-up packing," he was quoted by local newspapers as telling an informal meeting of close associates in Lahore.
The fact that the same quote was printed in all newspapers strongly suggested it had been leaked by the prime minister's office.
Mr Gilani stopped short of naming the opponents of the PPP to whom he was referring, but a steady trail of circumstantial evidence points to a powerful lobby within the military that has been waging a vendetta against the Bhuttos for more than 30 years.
The preferred method of the lobby is the spreading of rumours.
First, a whisper campaign that taps the more vicious variety of negative sentiment within the political opposition, influential civil-military bureaucracy and business community is launched. It can get very ugly: one particularly vicious rumour accuses Mr Zardari of being complicit in his wife's assassination.
Next come planted stories and articles in the news media. Recent examples have included the leaking of a virtual charge sheet, giving bullet-point details of alleged corruption, abuse of power and bad governance by the PPP-led administration, and proposals that the armed forces be given a constitutional role in civilian governance or even stage a coup d'état.
Such is the power of the lobby that it apparently sees little need for Machiavellian pretence, allowing journalists to quote unidentified "security sources" in reports, and using well-known Bhutto nemeses to advocate publicly the undermining of Pakistan's shaky new democracy.
The manipulation of the media against the government has angered many journalists, including those otherwise brutal in their criticism of Mr Zardari and the PPP government. Their anger is directed at the presumptuous arrogance of "elements within the army" for interfering in the political process, coming as it has, barely a year after the departure of a highly unpopular military regime, led by Pervez Musharraf and the staging of fresh elections.
"It is as if the generals [believe they] have all secured 'good governance certificates' from Oxford University and had them attested by God Almighty," said Nadeem Malik, the director of programmes at Aaj News TV. "If Mr Zardari is the problem, then it should be resolved by parliament. There is no justification whatsoever for another general to step in."
The media was recently reminded of a documented example of alleged military subversion against an elected government, namely that of Ms Bhutto in 1990.
An affidavit filed with the Supreme Court in 1994 by Gen Asad Durrani, a former head of the military's Inter-Services Intelligence directorate (ISI), alleged that in August 1990 the ISI had procured funding from businessmen for pay-offs to the media and politicians to sway public opinion in support of the subsequent dismissal of Ms Bhutto's government three months later.
That campaign was particularly memorable because one newspaper ran a lead story proclaiming the dismissal, although it did not take place until late afternoon.
Anonymous confidants of Mr Zardari have told the media that the government was considering reviving the case, which is technically still being heard by the Supreme Court, but otherwise has been left to gather dust in the registrar's office.
The leak's implication proved to be a bluff, but it was clearly meant as a warning to the military and opposition politicians, including Nawaz Sharif, the former prime minister, who is named as one of the alleged recipients of funding.
Mr Zardari has responded to the campaign against him and his family by launching the political career of Bilawil Bhutto-Zardari, his son and heir to the Bhutto throne.
In July, the previously bashful young man took time out from his studies at Oxford to deliver a series of awkward, if fiery, speeches laden with defiance towards the unnamed enemies of his family.
"Do you want blood? We'll give blood! Do you want heads? We'll give heads! How many Bhuttos can you kill?" he said.
Ashraf M. Abbasi, PhD. 
Ambassador at Large P Think before you print! Save energy and paper. President: 2003-2005 Chairman-Presidents Council: 2005-2007 Chairman Advisory Council: 2007-2009
The Pakistan American Congress (Washington, DC.) is an umbrella entity of Pakistani-Americans & Pakistani organizations in America since 1990. It is incorporated as a non-profit, non-religious, and non- partisan premier community organization. It serves as a catalyst of social, educational, and political activities which promotes the interests and protects the civil rights & liberties of the Pakistani-Americans in the U.S. It is also vigorously involved in promoting good will, understanding, and friendship between the two countries & two people.
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