The charges of misuse of the Toshakhana against former prime minister Imran Khan took an unusual turn on Tuesday when a well-known Dubai-based businessman came to the fore and claimed he had bought some of the state gifts, including an expensive Graff wristwatch worth at least Rs2 billion, from Farah Gogi and Shahzad Akbar.
In an interview with a private TV channel, Umar Farooq Zahoor said he bought expensive items, gifted to the PTI chief by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, for $2 million.
He further alleged that adviser to the former premier on accountability Shahzad Akbar had contacted him in 2019 to sell watches, rings and other gifts and said also has evidence to substantiate the claims he was making.
The businessman went on to allege that he was later blackmailed and fake cases of money laundering were registered against him by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) at the behest of Shahzad Akbar after he refused to listen to the demands made by his former wife Sophia Mirza“Farah Khan herself brought the gifts to my office in Dubai and told me that the items had been gifted to Imran Khan by the Saudi crown prince,” he claimed and added that he was convinced to buy them after he confirmed through his sources.
Businessman Umar Farooq claims Toshakhana gifts sold to him
