London: Jemima Khan has threatened to take legal action against Reham Khan if she attempts to publish her "explosive" tell all book about their ex-husband Imran Khan in the UK.
The battle of the bibis has assumed a political dimension because of the impending elections in Pakistan on July 25 when Imran will make yet another attempt to become the country's Prime Minister.
Jemima, who is the daughter of the late billionaire businessman, Sir James Goldsmith, certainly has the money to sue Reham in the British courts.
Jemima, 44, divorced Imran in 2004 after nine years of marriage. The couple's sons, Sulaiman and Qasim, are now aged 21 and 18.
Despite their split, she has remained loyal to her 65-year-old ex-husband, picketing for his release when he briefly imprisoned in November 2007 and never uttering a word against him.
In marked contrast, Reham, 45, who was divorced by Imran in 2015 after only 10 months of marriage, has said she wants to acquaint the world with "the real Imran".
Hell clearly hath no fury like bibis scorned but Jemima's money and influence are directed against Reham.
Bibi No 1 has taken to social media to warn Bibi No 2: "On Reham Khan's book I've been assured that it's too libellous to be published in the UK but if it is published here, I will be suing for defamation & breach of privacy on behalf of my (then) 16 yr old son & in relation to the moronic, re-hashed Zionist conspiracy theories. Sigh."
The contents of Reham's book have so far been closely guarded but Jemima added: "Hell hath no fury like a woman whose children have been scorned (& criminally libelled)." In what seems like a response to Jemima, Reham commented: "I am very proud of being a self made woman who has never had to even touch my parents inheritance or sponge of my spouses or friends.
"I also like the fact that I have stood up to bullies all my life.
"There is nothing dignified in being forced to be silent."
During an interview with CNN-News18, Reham said her book contained allegations about sexual favours being used for political gains within the ranks of Imran party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
She said: "I've discussed sexual harassment, sexual coercion and how it is used. How sexual favours are used for political positions and media positions. And some of those (allegations) relate directly to PTI.
"The main thrust of the book is how we as individuals, journalists, informed people of the media, people with an interest in politics... don't really know what we're voting for."
Aside from Jemima's warning, Reham has been served a legal "pre-action defamation" letter by a west London law firm, on behalf of a handful of people including her first husband, Dr Ijaz Rehman (with whom she had three children), along with a PTI official, a British businessman and cricket legend Wasim Akram, the Daily Mail has reported.
Earlier this year she told the paper she believed that the former cricketer is out of touch with modern Pakistan, after seeing "cringeworthy" photos of his third wedding, showing his new wife, Busha Maneka, covered from head to toe in full veil.
She said: "He has alienated a lot of people. It has not gone down well... before the Pakistan election this is political suicide. "As regards to my marriage, I thought we were having a perfect husband-and-wife relationship together. There were no arguments, no disagreements. The disagreements were only about his political decisions. I am an ideologist."
A civil court in Multan, Punjab, has issued a stay order against the book, and a notice to Reham, seeking her reply by June 9. But for maximum impact, her book has to be published in the UK.
