LAHORE: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has detected Rs4.5bn in transactions in over 100 bank accounts belonging to Farhat Shahzadi, also known as Farah Khan, and her husband.

They have been summoned to join the probe against them on Thursday (tomorrow).

Ms Shahzadi, a close friend of former prime minister Imran Khan’s wife Bushra Bibi, left the country with her husband in April last year.

According to NAB, 117 bank accounts, including foreign currency accounts, have been identified, and transactions amounting to Rs4.5bn were made by the couple during the tenure of former chief minister Usman Buzdar.

Mr Buzdar and his family members are also facing a NAB inquiry in the “income beyond means” case.

In addition to Rs4.5bn, the NAB has also discovered property worth over Rs1.5bn registered in the couple’s names.

NAB summons couple tomorrow

“Farhat Shahzadi and her husband Ahsan Jamil Gujjar also own 10 companies involved in significant financial transactions. She whitened Rs500 million through an amnesty scheme. The couple’s assets increased by 420 per cent during the PTI’s three-year rule in Punjab,” the NAB stated, adding a luxury flat owned by Gujjar in Dubai was also found.

Similarly, the couple owns eight properties in Defence and a four-kanal plot in Bahria Town, Lahore. They also have a two-kanal house in F-7 Islamabad and conducted a sale-purchase transaction of 240 kanals in Banigala with the son of a well-known property tycoon. The couple also owns 19 vehicles.

The NAB has also initiated a probe into the transfers and postings in Punjab made by the Buzdar administration based on the couple’s recommendation.

In a call-up notice, the NAB stated that the inquiry conducted thus far revealed a significant movement of cash in Ms Shahzadi and Mr Gujjar’s bank accounts that does not match their banking profile.

“Furthermore, during the proceedings, a range of valuable immovable assets registered in their names has also been discovered, which also does not align with your sources of income. Accordingly, both Farhat and Gujjar possess information/evidence related to the commission of an offense under the provisions of NAO 1999 and AMLA 2010,” the NAB stated, and requested the couple to appear before the joint investigation team at the NAB Lahore office on June 8. Failure to comply will result in legal proceedings.

Published in Dawn, June 7th, 2023