Farah Gogi likely to become approver against Imran Khan, Bushra Bibi

LONDON: Farah Gogi, trusted aide of former first lady Bushra Bibi, may become an approver against her friend and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan, sources told The News.

The News has learnt reliably that Farah is already cooperating with the Pakistani authorities and has been in touch with them for nearly a month now. All the while, she and her husband Ahsan Jameel Gujjar have been asked by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leadership not to cooperate with the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and other legal forums.

The source shared that Farah has already shared crucial information with the Pakistani authorities and a working relationship has developed already.

The sources confirmed that in the first week of May, Farah was asked to leave the United Arab Emirates (UAE) after the Pakistan government told the Gulf state that she was a wanted person and involved in corrupt practices during her time in Dubai.

A highly trusted source confirmed that Farah has been “blacklisted” which means that she is unable to enter the UAE on any legal grounds because of the cases against her. It was only after reaching Italy that Farah started speaking to the Pakistani authorities and there has been a lot of progress.

Farhat Shahzadi — who is also known as Farah Gogi, Farah Khan, Farah Gujjar, Fari and many other aliases — left Pakistan a day after Imran Khan’s government was dissolved after the success of a vote of no confidence (VoNC), becoming the first high profile figure to flee the country as speculations had already grown that she will be arrested and grilled about her role in her dealings with Bushra Bibi as well as her direct role in running the govt affairs.

She reached Dubai from Pakistan and then visited the US and back to Dubai. She was using the UAE as her base — until the Pakistan government asked the authorities to take action as Pakistan and the UAE has an extradition treaty as well.

The source who shared details said that Farah left for Italy and was in the European country till a few days ago. When the news started circulating that Pakistan may ask Interpol to extradite Farah to Pakistan, a call was made from Zaman Park to a lawyer in the UK to assist in her cases.

In May, the FIA submitted a written request to Interpol seeking the arrest and red warrant of Farah, citing cases involving the appointment of officials through illicit means for money laundering and political influence. The FIA officials have stated that Farhat Shahzadi has already been declared an absconder by the court in the money laundering case.

According to FIA officials, Farah is absconding abroad against whom irrefutable evidence of money laundering has been collected.

Pakistani investigators believe that Farah facilitated Imran Khan and Bushra to sell the Graff watch set gifted to the state of Pakistan by Saudi Crown Prince, Mohammad bin Salman and sold it to Dubai-based businessman Umar Farooq Zahoor for a price of $2 million.

Imran Khan is alleged to be the primary beneficiary of this deal who used his wife’s friend to steal state gifts and pocket the proceeds by illegally retrieving them from Toshakhana by placing a fake receipt of a watch dealer who has denied issuing any receipt.

Zahoor revealed a few months ago on Geo News show Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Key Saath that he had bought it from Farah and that she was introduced to him initially by Shahzad Akbar, the former accountability minister who now lives in London.

Pakistani investigators claim Bushra was behind most of the postings and transfers during the Usman Buzdar era in Punjab, raking billions in ill-gotten profits during the term.

Azhar Siddique, who is currently in the UK, has been assisting Farah Gogi in her legal matters through his law firm in Lahore. He confirmed to Geo News that he was in touch with Farah and her husband but was not aware of their location.

“All allegations against Farah Gogi are politically motivated and false. She has done nothing wrong. There is no case against her.”

Azhar Siddique said he had no knowledge if Farah was negotiating with the Pakistani authorities. Her husband Ahsan Jameel has also denied all allegations against her.