NAB okays probe against Farah Khan

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Thursday authorised an inquiry against Farah Khan, a close friend of ex-PM Imran Khan's wife Bushra Bibi, for accumulating "illegal assets beyond known sources of income, money laundering, and maintaining various accounts in the name of businesses".

The anti-graft body also approved a supplementary reference against former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, his son Abdullah Khaqan Abbasi, Finance Minister Miftah Ismail and others, alleging that they had awarded the LNG Terminal-1 contract through "non-transparent sources".

In Farah's case, NAB issued a statement saying that a huge turnover amounting to Rs847 million was found in her account during the last three years. It added that the amount did not commensurate with her stated account profile.

"These credits were received in her personal account and withdrawn immediately after credit within a short time period," it stated.

NAB noted that several "adverse" media reports had been found where Farah -- referred to in the statement as Farhat Shahzadi (alias Farah Khan) -- was alleged of "being involved in [amassing] assets beyond legal means".

The anti-graft body further said in a review of Farah's income tax returns, it was observed that her assets had "significantly increased" from 2018 onwards "for unknown reasons".

"Moreover, she has been frequently travelling to foreign jurisdictions; nine times to the USA and six times to the UAE.”

Also read: Bushra Bibi's close friend Farah Khan flies to Dubai

Amid the allegations, Farah had left for Dubai on April 5. Her husband had reportedly left the country already.

In the case of former PM Abbasi, NAB issued a statement that read: “The accused public office holders misused their authorities in active connivance with each other to give wrongful gains of Rs14.146 billion to EETL/ETPL/ECL in connection with LNG Terminal-1 of EETL and also caused a wrongful loss of Rs7.438 billion (approximately) for non-utilisation of unused capacity of 2nd LNG Terminal of PGPL from March 2015 till September 2019.”

The anti-graft body claimed that from 2013 to 2017, unexplained deposits of over Rs2 billion were received in Abbasi and his son's accounts, during which the LNG deal was inked.

“By concealing the origin of above said deposits and layering, the accused also committed offence of money laundering.”

Former Sui Southern Gas Company Limited (SSGCL) chairman Sheikh Imran ul Haq, ex-CEO of Engro Elengy Terminal Private Limited Agha Jan Akhtar, ex-chairman of Port Qasim Authority Saeed Ahmed Khan, former chairman of Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) Aamir Naseem, ex-member oil Uzma Adil, former OGRA chairperson Shahid M Islam, and former managing director of Pakistan State Oil (PSO) have also been named in the reference.