Imran Khan is a famous Pakistani politician who served as the 22nd Prime Minister of Pakistan from 2018 to 2022. However, before entering politics, Imran Khan was a celebrated cricketer who captained the Pakistan national cricket team and led them to victory in the 1992 Cricket World Cup.

During his cricketing career, Imran Khan was involved in a controversial court case regarding the birth of his alleged illegitimate daughter, Tyrian White, which ultimately led to him spending a brief time in prison in 1987. This incident has become an intriguing and much-discussed part of Imran Khan’s varied life story.

Background on the Tyrian White Case

In 1987, Australian woman Jemima Goldsmith filed a paternity suit in Los Angeles County Superior Court alleging that Imran Khan fathered her four-year-old daughter Tyrian White, who was born in 1983. Jemima claimed she had engaged in an affair with Imran during his cricketing tours to Australia in the early 1980s.

Imran initially denied the accusations and refused to provide a blood sample for paternity testing. However, the court ordered him to provide a sample. When the results came back indicating a 98.07% probability that Imran was Tyrian’s father, Imran continued to dispute the findings and alleged the samples had been switched.

The Contempt of Court Conviction

Frustrated by Imran’s lack of cooperation and denial of the paternity test results, the judge held Imran in contempt of court in August 1987 for refusing to accept the child as his own. Imran maintained that he was not the father and said the test results were falsified.

Due to the contempt conviction, Imran spent five days in Men’s Central Jail in Los Angeles. This marked the only time the famous sportsman-turned-politician has been incarcerated.

Aftermath and Later Confirmation of Paternity

The contempt of court conviction was controversial at the time. Imran’s marriage to Jemima Goldsmith was already under strain, and he claimed the paternity lawsuit was an attempt to extort money from him during his divorce proceedings.

Tyrian White continued trying to establish a relationship with her biological father. In 2004, Imran finally acknowledged that he was her father after agreeing to a second paternity test. He then included Tyrian White as one of his two officially recognized children.

Why Imran Initially Denied Paternity

There are several theories as to why Imran Khan was so resistant to acknowledging Tyrian as his daughter:

Protecting his public image

At the time, Imran was a national sports hero and sex symbol in Pakistan. Admitting to an illegitimate child with a western woman may have threatened his conservative image and reputation in Pakistan.

Strained relationship with Jemima Goldsmith

Imran was going through a bitter divorce with Jemima during the paternity suit. He may have denied the allegations partly to antagonize his estranged wife.

Avoiding child support obligations

By refusing to acknowledge the child as his own, Imran avoided being liable for child support payments to Jemima in the United States. This likely factored into his initial denials.

Doubting the validity of the paternity test

Some supporters of Imran have speculated that he genuinely doubted the accuracy of genetic testing at the time and feared the samples had been tampered with. This could explain his stubborn refusal to accept the results.

Protecting his existing marriage

Imran was married to his first wife, Jemima Goldsmith, when Tyrian was born. Accepting another woman’s child would have endangered his marriage.

Conclusion

Imran Khan’s brief incarceration for contempt of court during his denial of parentage of Tyrian White was a controversial chapter in his varied life story. While his initial refusal to acknowledge Tyrian caused legal troubles for him, he eventually accepted her as his daughter. The saga provides insight into Imran’s uncompromising personality as well as the complex blended family relations that are common for celebrities. Though brief, his contempt jail time brought Imran unwanted notoriety at the height of his sporting career.

Key Points:

• In 1987, Imran Khan was jailed for 5 days for contempt of court after refusing to accept a paternity test showing he fathered Tyrian White with Jemima Goldsmith
• Imran denied the allegations to protect his image and avoid child support obligations
• After originally disputing the paternity results, Imran acknowledged Tyrian as his daughter in 2004
• The court case and brief jailing was controversial and damaged Imran’s reputation at the time
• Imran’s refusal likely stemmed from wanting to protect his marriage and public image in conservative Pakistan