PTI chairman Imran Khan/File photo

Reports of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan?s third marriage began making rounds over the weekend, finally prompting the party to release an official statement saying their chief had extended a marriage proposal to a woman named Bushra Maneka.

Asked about his reaction to the reports, PTI ally and Awami Muslim League chief Sheikh Rashid expressed ignorance of the matter.

Sheikh Rashid expressed ignorance of the matter

?[I don?t know] if Imran Khan has married or not.. it?s his personal matter. But if he has married, good for him!? remarked Sheikh Rashid.

Federal Minister for Defence Production and Science and Technology Rana Tanveer congratulated the PTI chairman.

?Congratulations to him. He [Imran Khan] will marry one more time before the 2018 elections,? the minister jibed.

Awami National Party (ANP) leader Shahi Syed was critical. ?Imran Khan should not have [looked at] a woman he [consulted] for spiritual guidance [with such an intention],? he remarked.

PTI leaders, however, rejected the reports.

?Ridiculous! When SC deprives IK's detractors from doing accusatory stories of corruption, they create stories of his "marriage"! Somewhat pathetic too!? tweeted Shireen Mazari earlier.

PTI's Awn Chaudhry called The News report ?irresponsible yellow journalism?.

The News reported on Saturday that Imran Khan had secretly married on January 1 ? for the third time ? a woman he used to visit for spiritual guidance. The report stated that the PTI chairman started 2018 by tying the knot with the woman on January 1 in Lahore, and came straight from there the next day to appear before the anti-terrorism court in Islamabad that granted him bail.

The nikah, according to the report, was performed by Mufti Saeed, a member of PTI core committee, who was also the nikah khawan when Imran publicly entered into marriage with Reham Khan on January 8, 2015 amid reports of a secret nikah in November 2014.

Imran Khan has proposed marriage to Bushra Maneka: PTI

PTI rebuts reports of party chief Imran Khan's third marriage, says he has proposed marriage to a woman named Bushra Maneka

The PTI rebutted the report on Sunday but said Imran Khan had proposed marriage to Bushra Maneka.

"To set the record straight, Mr Khan proposed marriage to Ms Bushra Maneka; but Ms Maneka asked for time to make a final decision after consulting her family, including her children," the PTI tweeted.