Punjab Police guarded Farah’s residence for over three years

LAHORE: Punjab Police officials were posted outside the Lahore residence of Farah Khan, for over three years, even though neither Farah Khan nor her husband held a public office during that period.

The cops were posted outside her home, in the Defence area of Lahore, first in September 2018, a month after Imran Khan was elected prime minister, confirmed a police officer who was on duty there, on the condition of anonymity. The security detail was only pulled last month, on the first of Ramazan, he added.

He further told Geo TV that the men in uniform were ordered to work in three shifts, eight hours each, to ensure the home was protected 24 hours. Four cops were deployed per shift, meaning 12 police officers and three police vehicles were dedicated to her home.

Another police officer, also posted outside Farah Khan’s home, told Geo that he and his colleagues were first told that the secretary to the chief minister Punjab resided there.

Farah Khan is a close friend of the wife of former prime minister Imran Khan.

Last month, Pakistan's anti-corruption body, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), opened a case to probe how her assets grew exponentially during the tenure of former prime minister Imran Khan.

But in a recent press conference, Imran Khan defended Farah Khan and asked how a case of corruption could be made against her.

"She was not a public office holder," the former prime minister said. "She has been working in real estate for the last 20 years."

As per the Blue Book, which spells out which VVIPs will be provided police security, apart from serving office holders, such as the prime minister, chief minister, president, etc, who are entitled to security by the state, former officials can also avail themselves of this service.

At times, famous personalities are provided police escort if there is an imminent threat to their lives.

It is unclear how Farah Khan fell into any of these categories.

One of the cops Geo spoke to also claimed that the security detail was provided to Farah Khan on the orders of Superintendent of the Police Ayesha Butt.

Geo reached out to Ayesha Butt, who is now posted as the Superintendent of the Police Telecommunications in Punjab. The officer denied she had any knowledge of the officers being posted outside Farah Khan’s home, adding that she was surprised to see her name even mentioned in this regard.

"I had no link to this," she said. "I have never been posted in the branch which decides where security will be deployed."

Farah Khan did not respond to Geo TV's request for comments. She is currently in Dubai, while her husband is in the United States.