Pakistan's anti-corruption body orders probe on Farah Khan, friend of Imran Khan's wife

Islamabad: Pakistan's anti-corruption watchdog National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Thursday authorised an enquiry on Farah Khan, a close friend of ousted Prime Minister Imran Khan, over allegations of accumulating "illegal assets beyond known sources of income" among other charges. NAB-DG Lahore has been ordered to initiate an inquiry against Farah Khan, who left Pakistan for Dubai amid corruption allegations, Dawn reported.

"Huge turnover amounting to Rs 847 million was found in her (Farah Khan's bank) account during the last three years," a press release issued by NAB was quoted as saying. "These credits were received in her personal account and withdrawn immediately after credit within a short time period," the release further stated.

"Moreover, she has been frequently travelling to foreign jurisdictions; nine times to the USA and six times to the UAE," it added. According to the NAB, several "adverse" media reports were also found where Farah -- referred to in the statement as Farhat Shahzadi (alias Farah Khan) was alleged to "being involved in (acquiring) assets beyond legal means".

Last month, at a gathering of the opposition alliance, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Vice President Maryam Nawaz had first alleged that a friend of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman's wife received a huge sum of money for getting officers transferred and posted according to their choice. Earlier a photograph of Farah Khan seen on a flight with a handbag that is claimed to costs USD 90,000, had gone viral on social media.

According to reports in local Pakistan media, PML-N leader and former finance minister Miftah Ismail alleged that the handbag was worth USD 90,000 (Rs 16.5 million). "I dare to name Farah, a friend of Bushra Bibi who is involved in receiving millions of rupees in transfers and postings and these are directly connected to Banigala (residence of Imran Khan)," Maryam had said.

Notably, Imran Khan in a recent presser ducked a question about his relationship with Farah and simply walked away. The corruption saga is not limited to Farah Khan according to reports. The assets of Farah Khan's family, including her husband, her sister, and her father-in-law, also grew rapidly within a year after the Imran Khan government came into power.

Separately, the NAB approved a supplementary reference against former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and his son Abdullah Khaqan Abbasi.