A number of Pakistanis including prominent political figures own properties in Dubai with a combined value of around US$ 11 billion, according to a report titled ‘How Dirty Money Finds a Home in Dubai Real Estate’, published by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP).
The report reveals that as many as 17,000 Pakistanis are listed as owners of 23,000 properties in Dubai.
Among those Pakistanis, prominent names include President Asif Ali Zardari’s three childen Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Bakhtawar Bhutto Zardari, Aseefa Bhutto Zardari; the former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s son Hussain Nawaz, the Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi’s wife, the Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Memon; Senator Faisal Vawda; Farah Gogi; Sher Afzal Marwat; MNA Ikhtiar Baig; the former Army Chief General (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa’s son Saad Siddique Bajwa; Sardar Sanaullah Zehri, Akhtar Mengal, and MNA Ehsanul Haq Bajwa.
Zardari’s children are listed as owning two properties in the Jumeirah 1 and Al Safa 2 areas of Dubai while Mohsin Naqvi’s wife owns a five-bedroom villa in the Arabian Ranches.
Click Here to Read the Full Dubai Unlocked Report
Likewise, the former President General (retd) Pervez Musharraf, former Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and more than a dozen retired generals as well as an incumbent Inspector General of Police (IG) also – either directly or through their spouses and children – own properties in Dubai.
Retired Army Generals named in Dubai Property leaks:
Gen (r) Pervez Musharraf (Dubai Marina, Burj Khalifa, Al Thanyah Fifth)
Lt-Gen Shafaat Ullah Shah
Former MSMaj Gen (r) Ehtasham Zameer
Former DG-CLt-Gen Afzal Muzaffar
Lt-Gen (r) Muhammad Akram
Lt-Gen Alam Jan Mehsud…
— Economy of Pakistan (@Pakistanomy) May 14, 2024
Taking to X, Mohsin Naqvi said that “The Dubai property bought in my wife’s name since 2017 is fully declared and listed in tax returns. It was also declared in returns submitted to the Election Commission as Caretaker CM of Punjab. The property was sold a year ago, and a new property was purchased recently with the proceeds.”
Sher Afzal Marwat alse wrote on X, “I own an apartment in Dubai and the same has been declared with all the regulatory authorities of Pakistan including FBR, the Election Commission of Pakistan etc for the past six years. It can be confirmed both with the FBR as well as ECP.”
