Pets of Imran Khan

Khan's dogs have been a focus of interest in several media reports, and often find reference amongst journalists during his interviews.[1][2][3][4][5] According to the Financial Times, a typical day in Khan's routine begins with breakfast, "walking the dogs and gathering his thoughts", and morning exercise.[2] In a 2012 interview with Meher Bukhari, Khan mentioned that he kept dogs as a necessity, in order to guard his house.[6] The dogs also accompany him during one of his favourite pastimes, hunting partridges.[7] His keeping of dogs has been targeted by his political opponents; federal minister Khawaja Saad Rafique once berated Khan in parliament for his affection toward canines, and for allowing them inside his house, stating it was "against cultural/religious values."[8] Rafique's statement elicited a rejoinder from many commentators such as Talat Farooq, Hamid Mir and Mubasher Lucman.[9][10][11] Whilst addressing a crowd of supporters during the Azadi march on 14 September 2014, Khan pushed back at the remarks: "Sheru is dead, poor dog, I really liked him. He was much more loyal to me than these people (in the Assembly)."[12] A day later, Rafique responded "Had I known that Sheru is no more, I wouldn't have said such a thing. I'm sure Imran Khan would have been hurt by my comments."[12] The presence of Khan's dogs has been noted even during official meetings inside his house.[13]

In April 2018, Khan said he had a total of five pet dogs.[14][15]

Khan's dogs were covered in much detail by Reham in her 2018 autobiography, Reham Khan. Reham wrote that Pervez Musharraf had previously given several puppies to Imran Khan, and that Imran Khan was fond of "handsome dogs".[16] Wikipedia's coverage of Khan's pets has also drawn much interest amongst newspapers.[17]

Frank Huzur in Imran Versus Imran: The Untold Story wrote Imran Khan loved dogs since his childhood. And that his mother used to encourage him to play with all types of dogs.[18] Shortly after he became premier, it was reported in the media that Khan's dog also accompanied him on his prime ministerial helicopter, during his daily commute from his residence to the prime minister's office.[19]

Khan also rears his own chickens, water buffalo and cows on his 35-acre farmhouse property, and uses their organic produce such as milk, meat and eggs.[7][17] During her marriage to Imran, Jemima Khan had acknowledged the couple owning two dogs, in addition to chickens and a goat "so we can have free-range eggs and meat from the garden."[36][4] A 1996 news piece described one of his hounds as a "boisterous guard dog", also nicknamed Tiger. Tiger had been acquired from Waziri tribesmen during one of Imran's trips to the northwestern tribal areas.[4]

Khan's dogs found a mention in Michael Palin's 2004 book Himalaya, when the latter interviewed him at his house and was greeted by "three amiable dogs... tails wagging vigorously, until that becomes too much of an effort and they collapse, bellies flat against warm stones or on their backs in the shade of the verandah, legs spread-eagled in abandon." Palin describes one of the dogs as a Labrador.[3]

In his book Pakistan: A Personal History, Khan notes:

I am a completely outdoor person; I have always been – even as a boy during the hot summer months in Lahore my mother had trouble making me stay indoors. Since 2005 I have lived in a farmhouse on a hill outside the capital city, Islamabad, a place I call my paradise, recreating the sense of wilderness that I love. I am surrounded by hills and greenery with a panoramic view of Rawal Lake and the foothills of the Himalayas. I grow my own fruit and vegetables and keep chickens, cows and water buffaloes. Wild birds and animals surround me too – partridges, porcupines, snakes, lizards, jackals and peacocks.[37]

In his assets declaration in 2017, Khan listed himself as an owner of four goats worth Rs. 0.2 million (US$690).[38][39]

• Family of Imran Khan
• Pets of Vladimir Putin
• United States presidential pets