LAHORE: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Thursday summoned Farhat Shehzadi and her husband, Ahsan Jamil Gujjar, in a money laundering case for Friday (today).

The couple reportedly has been abroad since the PML-N-led coalition government took over in April last.

The FIA notice to Farhat says: “You have operated multiple personal PKR and foreign currency accounts as well as company accounts with high turnover (Rs841 million) that does not commensurate with your tax profile. Therefore, you are required to explain your position.”

The FIA asked her to appear in person with all FBR returns and declarations – 2016-22, a list of all offshore companies, assets abroad and here and details of foreign currency purchases.

In its notice to Mr Gujjar, the FIA said he made a suspicious bank transaction of Rs222 million in 2020–21. He was also asked to appear before the FIA on Friday.

The couple is unlikely to join the probe against them.

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB), on the other hand, summoned former Punjab minister Afzal Sahi in a corruption probe against Punjab Assembly secretary Muhammad Khan Bhatti on Feb 20.

The NAB notice says: “Your (Sahi) frontman Muhammad Khan Bhatti got kickbacks for awarding contracts, transfers and postings in the Punjab High division. In view of this, you are hereby called to appear on Feb 20 before a combined investigation team of the NAB at its provincial headquarters at Thokar Niaz Beg.”

After ACE and FIA, the NAB recently also launched a probe against Mr Bhatti in the income beyond means, money laundering charges and corruption charges.

According to an official, NAB has written to different banks, revenue and other departments concerned for the record of business transactions and property.

Mr Bhatti was detained by the Sindh Police over a week ago while he was going to the Sindh High Court for his protective bail. Former Punjab chief minister Chaudhry Pervez Elahi said Mr Bhatti had yet to be produced before a court of law as he had been made a ‘missing person.’

Published in Dawn, February 17th, 2023