The couple have a two-year-old son, Suleiman, and are expecting another child in spring.

Doom-mongers had predicted that the relationship between the 46-year-old former Pakistan cricket captain and his 24-year-old socialite wife would not last. Jemima converted to Islam, took to wearing salwar kameezes and covering her head, indicating a willingness to adapt to the ways of her husband and his country.

She has, more recently launched a line of East-meets-West fashion garments. Speculation about problems in the marriage began with reports that Imran had stormed out of his wife's home in London after she refused to accompany him on a fund-raising trip to Los Angeles.

Jemima, thedaughter of the late business tycoon Jimmy Goldsmith, apparently offered her husband the money in lieu of what was to be raised in the US. Confronted by reporters and questions about her marriage, Jemima had reportedly broken down saying that she did not want to discuss the matter.

Imran himself denied that there was a problem in his marriage, saying: ``We are very, very happy.''

He added, ``We have one of the happiest marriages I know and when I left Jemima in London all was well. Then I got off a plane in Los Angeles and all hell had broken loose. I don't understand why these rumours started. We are very happy and looking forward to the birth of our baby.''

Reports indicate that the couple were spending a great deal of time apart, with Jemima in London and Imran in Pakistan fund-raising for his cancer hospital and attempting to build his faltering political career.

Friends of the couple were quoted in The Mirror saying, ``Obviously there are cultural differences. His passion is for politicsand it keeps him away. He is in Pakistan and she is in London. These two people have 5,000 miles between them. But they are going to overcome it. There is a very very strong urge on both parts to see the storm through.''

In Los Angeles, Imran also met, for the first time, his six-year-old child by another British socialite Sita White. The 90-minute meeting came apparently after White cornered him at a charity gala and begged him to see the child. White fought and won a paternity case against Khan, who has always denied that he is father of the child.

White was quoted in The Sunday Mirror saying : ``Tirian desperately wants to meet her daddy. I was a little nervous talking to him, but it was all right. .. I did what I came to do. Imran has promised we will sort this out.'' Asked if his wife knew of this meeting, Imran is reported to have said, ``We don't have any secrets.''