DUBAI/ISLAMABAD: An expensive priceless Graff watch worth at least 2 billion Rupees gifted by Saudi crown prince Muhammad Bin Salman to former Prime Minister Imran Khan was sold by Farah Gogi and Shahzad Akbar in a secret mission to Dubai businessman Umar Farooq Zahoor.
The millionaire businessman Umar Farooq Zahoor has full evidence to prove that he bought the rare Graff watch from Ms. Farhat Shahzadi (Farah Gogi) and three other Toshakhan gifts for 7.5 million Dhirams (AED 7,500,000 – Seven Million and Five Hundred Thousand Dirhams) in cash.
The businessman says he was later on blackmailed and fake cases of money-laundering were registered against him by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) under Shahzas Akbar after he refused to listen to demands made by his former wife Sophia Mirza (Khushbakht Mirza) through the former accountability minister.
In an affidavit, Umar Farooq Zahoor says: “I Umar Farooq, S/O late Zahoor Ahmed resident of R/o (Address as Per Cnic) House No. D-102/1, Block-4, Clifton Karachi, currently Residing at Muhammad Bin Rashid City, District One, Dubai, United Arab Emirates U.A.E do hereby solemnly affirm and declare on oath that I was introduced to Ms. Farhat Shahzadi by Mr. Shehzad Akbar and bought the following ornaments, jewellery SET 2 by GRAFF from Ms. Farhat Shahzadi having CNIC No. 35201-2625741-8 and passport No. BP5147413 for AED Seven Million and Five Hundred Thousand Dirhams (AED 7,500,000) paid as cash.”
Umar Farooq Zahoor’s affidavit lists the following four gifts he purchased from Farah Gogi, which were given to former PM Imran Khan by Saudi crown prince Muhammad Bin Salman.
These are:
Diamond MasterGraff Tourbillon Minute Repeater with Mecca Map Dial GM2751
Diamond Cufflinks With 2.12ct H IF And 2.11 ct I IF Round Diamonds GR46899
Diamond Gent’s Ring 7.20cts I VVSl
Rose Gold Pen Set with Pave Diamonds and Enamel Mecca Map
Umar Farooq Zahoor, who is Ambassador at Large for the Republic of Liberia, says that it was in March 2019 when former accountability minister Shahzad Akbar introduced him to Farah Gogi and told him he should meet her during Dubai visit and look at the unwanted rare gifts she wanted to sell.
He says when he met Farah Gogi and saw the gifts, he was instantly interested because these items are rare and priceless.
“Farah Gogi was frank. She told me the history of these gifts and said these have been given to Prime Minister Imran Khan by the Saudi Crown prince and that she wanted to sell these on behalf of Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Begum. She told me that Shahzad Akbar had asked her to meet me in Dubai.
“After verifying the authenticity of the items, I didn’t negotiate the price. I paid whatever she asked for as these gifts are priceless. As soon as the payment was made, Farah Gogi reported on phone to Shahzad Akbar that the deal was through and thanked him for introducing her to me. Shahzad Akbar thanked me for buying the Toshakhana gifts and requested that I don’t speak about this matter to anyone. I agreed.”
Umar Farooq Zahoor says that it remained all quiet until Shahzad Akbar got in touch again and spoke on behalf of Sophia Mirza, Zahoor’s former wife, asking him to return their two daughters to Pakistan.
Umar Farooq Zahoor and Sophia Mirza have been involved in court battles over the custody of their twin daughters for the last 14 years or so. Shahzad Akbar, says Umar Farooq, threatened him that if he didn’t send his daughters to Pakistan and settle the dispute with Sophia Mirza (Khushbakht Mirza) on her terms or face consequences.
Umar Farooq Zahoor said: “I refused to do be blackmailed and a campaign of terror was started against me by Shahzad Akbar. He used the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to register fake cases of international financial crimes. Unfortunately, my biggest mistake was to buy this expensive watch as I was flagged as a wealthy person and an extortion campaign started against me using the entire government bodies including the cabinet of Former Prime minister who gave blanket approval to Shahzad Akbar to go after me. Interpol was misused trying to extradite me to Pakistan through a Red Notice.
“Shahzad Akbar lied to the cabinet of Imran Khan and took permission to register fake criminals cases on me in collusion with my-ex wife Sophia Mirza. The FIA Corporate Crime Circle Lahore also initiated an inquiry against me over allegations of fraud and money-laundering of around 16 billion Rupees on the complaint of my ex-wife who was blackmailing me. My name was placed on the Exit Control List (ECL); non-bailable warrants in one of the FIRs were obtained from the Court without fulfilling the legal requirements and on the basis of said non-bailable warrants, my passport and CNIC were blacklisted and Red Warrants were issued through INTERPOL by National Crime Bureau (NCB) Pakistan for arresting me. I am speaking out now to tell the truth to Pakistanis what kind of people these are who occupied high positions in Pakistan.”
PTI Chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi had retained all the 112 gifts worth Rs142.02 million from the Toshakhana of the Government of Pakistan by paying less than 40 million rupees only.
Imran Khan kept all the 58 gifts he received over 3.5 years and that too at a fraction of the price. Khan allegedly paid Pakistani PKR 38 million for gifts valued at PKR 140 million. He didn’t pay for another PKR 800,200 worth of gifts.
Shahzad Akbar, Farah Gogi and Sophia Mirza didn’t respond to questions.
Arif Rana adds from Islamabad .
Defence minister , Khawaja Asif, tweeted on Tuesday and alleged that Imran Khan managed to bring money got in a deal of precious gifts taken away from Toshakhana in Pakistan in an Aeroplane of a Pakistani property tycoon . He questioned as if Imran Khan showed this ill-gotton money brought into Pakistan illegally in the property tycoon’s aeroplane after sale of costly gifts taken out of Pakistan by paying just meagre amount in Toshakhana ?.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) is hearing Toshakhana case agaist Imran Khan and his spouse , Bushra Bibi.
Meanwhile , Shaikh Omar Farooq ,a Dubai based businessman and self- claimant buyer of precious gifts given to Imran Khan as prime minister by Saudi Royals and other heads of states and governments allegedly sold out by Shahzad Akbar , a close confident and advisor of Imran Khan government and Farah Gogi ,. a close friend of Imran Khan”s spouse , Bushra Bibi , appeared on local electronic media on Tuesday evening .
Talking to an anchor of a local TV channel , Omar claimed that Farah Gogi came to him in Dubai to sell out precious gifts in April 2019 . He added that appraiser had evaluated the price of the precious gifts at $ 7 million, but Farah Gogi agreed to sell out all these gifts to him for only $ 2 million. He said Farah Gogi recieved the deal money in cash.
He told the anchor person that Shahzad Akbar blackmailed him when he denied to facilitate him for more booty and shopping to his nominees in Dubai. He maintained that Shahzad Akbar used his ex-wife and registered many cases against him in Pakistan for extortion of money from him. Shaikh Omar Farooq said he was ready to come to Pakistan and give his statement in Toshakhana case .