From Abid Usman
LAHORE: Former Punjab chief minister Usman Buzdar on Wednesday denied allegations levelled by the Opposition and estranged PTI leaders against PM Imran Khan’s wife Bushra Bibi and her close friend Farah Khan.
“I vehemently deny the fabricated allegations levelled by Aleem Khan, Chaudhry Sarwar and other members of the Opposition and condemn them because there is no proof,” tweeted Buzdar.
The former chief minister maintained that political transfers in Punjab during his time were solely carried out on the basis of “merit and rules and regulations”.
“The uncrowned kings of money laundering and corruption have always had a habit of levelling baseless allegations against their rivals and institutions so that they could blackmail them when they are defeated in the political arena,” claimed Buzdar.
The former chief minister said that those who have faced political defeat cannot hide their humiliation by “levelling baseless and fab ricated allegations [on opponents].”
“The PML-N and its followers have not been able to bring to light a single corruption scandal against me or my cabinet in three and a half years,” claimed Buzdar, adding that no irregular contracts, letters written in the Calibri font, fake trust deeds, Maqsood chaprasi, or any of his Mayfair flats have been discovered.
“If you have proof, then show it. I worked with honesty in Punjab throughout the three and a half years,” said Buzdar.
The former chief minister said that the Opposition cannot level accusations against housewives — be it the first lady or Farah Khan — without substantial evidence.
“The only purpose is to criticise Imran Khan in any way — you will fail because no one can point a finger at Imran Khan’s honesty!” said Buzdar.
Buzdar’s response to the allegations has come a day after PML-N leader and former finance minister Miftah Ismail alleged that the handbag carried by Farah Khan costs $90,000.
The former minister’s comment came after a picture of Farah went viral on social media.
Ismail, while addressing a press conference alongside former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, said that PML-N has been saying the same things that the estranged PTI leader Aleem Khan had previously said about Farah.
The PML-N leader alleged that the first lady’s close aide “took the money” for the transfer of civil servants in Punjab.
“Who did that money go to?” asked Ismail, adding that the PTI was claiming that Farah Khan cannot be a corrupt person as she was a “private person”.
“She can engage in corrupt activities because she is friends with the wives of public officeholders. She was someone’s frontwoman,” alleged Ismail.
Including Usman Buzdar into his broadside, Ismail said the former Punjab chief minister was “also someone’s frontman”.
“When Aleem Khan claimed to inform Imran Khan about Usman Buzdar’s corruption but Imran Khan kept him, who was Buzdar paying?” wondered Ismail.
He also asked who was Farah Khan paying the bribes.
The former finance minister said that a picture was circulating Tuesday showing her with a high-value bag.
“Farah Gujjar, while using a Punjab government’s plane, carried a bag that was worth $90,000,” claimed Ismail. He added that in local currency, the bag was worth “Rs16.2 million”.
The PML-N leader shared that the masses were told to have “one roti” instead of two, adding that people bought a single roti due to the rising wheat and sugar prices but Farah Khan’s bag was worth Rs16.2 million.
