Farah, husband to return to Pakistan on May 10

Duo likely to face corruption allegations levelled against them by PML-N

LAHORE:

Farhat Shahzadi alias Farah Gogi and her husband Ahsan Jameel have decided to return to Pakistan on May 10 to face the corruption allegations levelled by the ruling PML-N against them.

According to sources, Farah – a close friend of former premier Imran Khan’s wife Bushra Bibi – and her husband have decided to challenge the National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) authority to probe the allegations against them and completed consultations with their legal team.

Both have been nominated in money laundering and assets beyond means inquiry.

According to Farah’s counsel, her client was not married to Jameel when he was the district council chairman. The lawyer said that NAB cannot conduct inquiries against private individuals as Farah was not a public officer holder at the time.

Meanwhile, NAB Lahore spokesperson maintained that Farah’s case fell within the national graft buster’s ambit. It was said that NAB could conduct an inquiry in the assets beyond means case against any public office holder or their family members.

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Farah’s husband was the Gujranwala district council chairman from 1997 to 1999.

Under the Constitution, complaints related to corruption and financial irregularities against former public officer holders and their family members fall within the ambit of NAB.

According to NAB, a turnover amounting to Rs847 million had been found in Farah’s account during the last three years, which did not commensurate with her stated account profile.