LAHORE: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has written 100 letters to various departments seeking property, business and bank accounts records of Farah Khan, a close friend of former prime minister Imran Khan’s wife Bushra Bibi, and her husband in the income beyond means investigation, an official told Dawn on Tuesday.

“A huge turnover amounting to Rs847 million has been found in her (Farah’s) account during the last three years, which does not commensurate with her stated account profile,” said the anti-graft watchdog.

“These credits were received in her personal account and withdrawn immediately after credit within a short time period.”

While reviewing her income tax returns, NAB said it was observed that Farah’s assets “increased significantly since 2018 for unknown reasons”. Moreover, it was found that she had been frequently travelling to other countries, including nine times to the United States and six times to the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

“NAB Lahore has written 100 letters to different departments including Security Exchange Commission of Pakistan, Federal Board of Revenue, land departments, deputy commissioners and private banks to have a complete record of Farhat Shahzadi alias Farah Khan/Gogi and her husband Ahsan Jamil Gujjar’s record of property, businesses, bank accounts, tax returns, wealth declaration, travel history in connection with money laundering,” an official disclosed while talking to Dawn.

“After the completion of the initial investigation, NAB may ask the interior ministry to issue the red warrants against Farah to bring her back from the UAE to face the charges against her,” he said. Her husband is also abroad.

Ms Farah is accused of “accumulating illegal assets beyond known sources of income, money laundering and maintaining various accounts in the name of different businesses” during the tenure of former chief minister Usman Buzdar. She is also accused of using the aircraft of then Punjab Chief Minister Buzdar and obtaining land worth millions of rupees from real estate tycoon Malik Riaz.

The PML-N alleged she made millions through frequent transfers and postings in Punjab. The Imran government had benefited Farah to turn her black money amounting Rs320m white through an amnesty scheme, PML-N deputy secretary general Attaullah Tarar alleged. “She had no money trail of this amount,” he said, alleging that Farah’s assets multiplied during the last three years from Rs210m to Rs850m.

Ms Farah had left for Dubai in April soon after the ouster of Imran’s government.

Published in Dawn, May 11th, 2022