Four alleged ‘frontmen’ of former first lady Bushra Bibi’s close friend, Farah Khan, have been summoned by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in the money laundering case against Farah.
The summoned individuals are being represented by Advocate Azhar Siddique, who appeared before the NAB in Lahore.
He claimed that the NAB was, by summoning the four accused persons, operating in a case that was outside its jurisdiction.
Siddique told NAB that Farah got married in 2003, while her husband Ahsan Jamil Gujjar was a district councillor in 1999, adding that he has submitted a written response from Farah’s employees to NAB.
He remarked that Farah Khan was not a government official, nor had she ever held public office, therefore the anti-graft body was operating out of its jurisdiction, in which case its notices were illegal.
Azhar Siddique mentioned that all the employees mentioned in the case were working at Ghousia Builders and one employee was teaching tuition at Farah’s house.
Mentioning that Farah Khan will submit a written response, he said that once the anti-corruption watchdog determines its jurisdiction, only then can it send notices. He said if the jurisdiction wasn’t determined then he would approach the high courts.
Nearly a month ago, on April 29 NAB initiated an inquiry against Farah Khan, on account of money laundering and asset accumulation beyond known sources of income during the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government.
A notification issued by NAB said, “The NAB has authorised an inquiry against Farhat Shahzadi alias Farah Khan and others on the allegations of accumulation of illegal assets beyond known sources of income, money laundering and maintaining various accounts in the name of different businesses.”
