ISLAMABAD: A leading Pakistani real estate tycoon said on Tuesday the country’s anti-graft body raided his company offices in Rawalpindi, taking away cash, project files, computers, vehicles and nine employees, as he blamed state institutions for putting him under pressure to advance their “political agenda.”
Malik Riaz, the owner of Bahria Town, which has a presence in several Pakistani urban centers, shared video footage of the alleged raid on his social media account, though its authenticity could not be verified independently.
Riaz, known for his strong connections with influential politicians and officials across the country, is involved in the Al Qadir Trust case against former prime minister Imran Khan, centered around land transactions and the misuse of political authority. The case gained attention after the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency transferred £190 million to Pakistan, obtained from Riaz after investigating him for acquiring assets with illicit funds.
Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, were suspected of taking illicit benefits from Riaz after the money was sent to the Supreme Court accounts as a settlement in financial cases the tycoon faced in Pakistan and he donated a piece of land to the Al Qadir Trust, established by them to set up a university.
The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) is actively investigating the matter against Khan, who has been in prison since last August on multiple charges.
“Malik Riaz will not become an approver,” he wrote in a post on platform X. “Do whatever oppression you want on me.”
“As Chairman of Bahria Town, I assure you, such bullying will not deter me from my stand I have already made public,” he continued. “This arm twisting isn’t hurting me only, it’s crippling the real estate investment in Pakistan. You’re not demolishing my business, your actions are locking up the economic growth of the country. If this is the real agenda behind this witch-hunt, let the people of Pakistan see for what this really is.”
He said he believed in Pakistani law was facing all cases on legal forums. Riaz also added he did not want to become part of any “power game” in the country, saying he was reiterating his “long-standing stance of neutrality” and resist pressure tactics to pick a side.
He did not name the Al Qadir Trust case in his social media post, though he was declared a proclaimed offender in it earlier this year in January and has been staying abroad.
So far, there has been no official statement from NAB in response to Riaz’s claims.
