By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Asif said on Friday that the government would seek the extradition of Malik Riaz Hussain, a wealthy real estate tycoon, from the United Arab Emirates, accusing him of orchestrating a massive land scam alongside former Prime Minister Imran Khan.
“The government will seek his extradition on a state-to-state level,” Asif told reporters at a news conference. “We have an extradition treaty with the UAE. A mafia cannot be allowed to run as a parallel state.”
Hussain, who leads Bahria Town Limited — claimed to be Asia’s largest private real estate developer — and is one of Pakistan’s wealthiest individuals, has been residing in Dubai.
The minister charged Hussain with exploiting his wealth and influence to appropriate land from the economically disadvantaged, including widows, for his housing projects nationwide.
“You will see flaws in the approvals of all the land bought by Malik Riaz for his housing societies,” Asif added. “If someone has this misunderstanding or wishful thinking that there will be some compromise, or if they hope that if circumstances change, they’ll get relief … they shouldn’t expect to get any relief.”
“Neither our judicial system nor any political force could afford to get them relief,” Asif said. “And if the proceedings related to their extradition start, they will not only be brought back here but other cases against them — including the illegal occupation of lands and construction of illegal societies — all these cases will be pursued.”
Asif underscored that the government’s patience had reached its limit. “This Malik Riaz saga has been running for the last 30 years, and he has used his influence everywhere,” he noted, calling for a national investigation into Bahria Town’s financial dealings.
The minister said the country’s extradition treaty with the UAE allows for the return of convicted individuals after due legal process, framing the case as a matter of “highest level accountability,” beyond the usual reach of Pakistani media.
“The majority of the media houses cannot hold these individuals, these sacred cows, accountable, so much so that even mentioning or airing their names is forbidden,” he said. “So, just imagine how much those outlets have been obliged, and how much money has been invested in keeping them silent.”
He added that the state had ultimately caught up with these people after letting them go scot-free for 20 to 25 years.
The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has been actively investigating Hussain, charging him with fraud, deceptive practices, and public deception, particularly over land sales without proper legal ownership.
This legal pursuit comes in the wake of Khan’s 14-year imprisonment for a related land deal, which his legal team claims is a political witch hunt by the military to stifle his political influence.
Analysts see this as a significant blow to Hussain, previously considered politically invulnerable, signaling that Pakistan’s military and government aim to warn other influential allies of Khan, who was ousted from power in 2022 but retains considerable public support.
Michael Kugelman, a fellow at the Wilson Center in Washington, said the action against Hussain suggested a desire among Pakistani authorities to “show the credibility of the case against Khan.”
“But at its core, I think it’s about widening the dragnet being pursued against all those with influence that have links to Khan,” Kugelman added, pointing to the Pakistan military’s current court martial of Faiz Hameed, a former spymaster said to have been close to Khan when he was prime minister.
In a statement posted on the social media site X on Wednesday, Hussain suggested the extradition announcement was an attempt to pressure him to testify in court.
“This was my decision yesterday, and this is my decision today, no matter how much you oppress me, Malik Riaz will not testify!” the property tycoon had said on his X account.
“Malik Riaz will neither be used against anyone nor will be blackmailed by any,” he had asserted. “God willing, the Dubai project will be successful and will become a symbol of Pakistan throughout the world, including Dubai.”
Since 1997, through Bahria Town, Hussain has developed extensive housing estates around Pakistan’s major cities, appealing to the burgeoning middle class.
Recently, he launched a new headquarters for BT Properties, a subsidiary targeting the Dubai real estate market.
“We are not just entering Dubai’s real estate market — we are here to lead,” Hussain said at the opening ceremony.
In 2019, Hussain settled with the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA), agreeing to surrender £190 million held in the UK, resolving an investigation without admitting guilt.
This sum was repatriated to Pakistan, but the current government alleges Hussain was allowed to keep it in exchange for the illegal land transfer to Khan.
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