LAHORE: With the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) initiating investigation against Farah Gogi, a close friend of former premier Imran Khan’s wife, for accumulating assets beyond means, the PML-N says she does not have money trail of Rs320 million and be brought back from the UAE to face corruption allegations.

“The Imran Khan government had benefited Farah Gogi to whiten her ‘black money’ amounting to Rs320m through amnesty scheme,” PML-N deputy secretary general Attaullah Tarar told a press conference here on Thursday.

He said Gogi’s assets increased from Rs210m to Rs850m during the last three years as she minted money through transfers and postings in Punjab with the alleged help of Usman Buzdar. He said Gogi also bought a flat in the UAE with this money.

Tarar said: “Since Imran Khan has tried to defend Gogi, it has become clear whose benami property is this.”

He said the ‘Farah Gogi gang’ would buy land in the area where any development scheme was to be announced to make money.

Tarar further said when Imran saw losing power, he made Farah Gogi flee the country. He said the interior ministry should take measures for her repatriation. He asked Imran Khan to prevail upon Gogi to come back if she was not holding his (Imran) benami properties.

Meanwhile, the NAB Lahore is conducting the inquiry against Farhat Shehzadi alias Farah Khan/Gogi. She is accused of “accumulating illegal assets beyond known sources of income, money laundering and maintaining various accounts in the name of different businesses”.

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

“These credits were received in her personal account and withdrawn immediately after credit within a short time period.”

While reviewing her income tax returns, it was allegedly observed that her assets have significantly increased from 2018 onwards for unknown reasons. Moreover, she has frequently been travelling to different countries, including nine times to the United States and six times to the United Arab Emirates.

Farah Gogi reportedly left for Dubai on April 5. She was also accused of using the aircraft of Punjab chief minister and obtaining land worth millions of rupees from real estate tycoon Malik Riaz.

Published in Dawn, May 6th, 2022