Pakistan anti-graft body seals several properties of real estate developer for ‘defrauding’ citizens

Pakistan anti-graft body seals several properties of real estate developer for ‘defrauding’ citizens
Pakistani property developer Malik Riaz Hussain speaks with a Reuters correspondent during an interview at his office in Bahria Town on the outskirts of Islamabad, Pakistan March 10, 2016. (Reuters/File)
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Pakistan anti-graft body seals several properties of real estate developer for ‘defrauding’ citizens

Pakistan anti-graft body seals several properties of real estate developer for ‘defrauding’ citizens
  • M/s Bahria Town, which claims to be Asia’s largest private real estate developer, has several projects in Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi and other Pakistani cities
  • Pakistan’s National Accountability Bureau last month booked Bahria Town owner Malik Riaz Hussain in a graft case, initiated process to extradite him from Dubai

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s anti-corruption watchdog has sealed numerous properties of a private real estate developer, M/s Bahria Town, for “defrauding people of billions of rupees,” Pakistani state media reported on Monday.
M/s Bahria Town, which claims to be Asia’s largest private real estate developer, has projects in several cities, including Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi, in the South Asian country.
Pakistan’s National Accountability Bureau (NAB) said it had registered several cases of fraud and deception against Bahria Town owner Malik Riaz Hussain and others in Islamabad and Karachi courts, the Radio Pakistan broadcaster reported.
Hussain and his associates are accused of illegally occupying both government and private lands in Karachi, Rawalpindi and New Murree to establish housing societies without permission and defrauding people of billions of rupees.
“In recent actions related to this, numerous commercial and residential properties of Bahria Town in Karachi, Lahore, Takht Pari, New Murree/Golf City, and Islamabad have been sealed, including multi-story commercial buildings,” the Radio Pakistan report read.
“Additionally, hundreds of bank accounts and vehicles of Bahria Town have been frozen, and further actions in this regard are being carried out rapidly.”
There was no immediate comment from Bahria Town in response to NAB’s allegations.
The development comes more than a month after NAB filed a reference in an accountability court in Karachi, nominating Hussain, his son Ahmed Ali Riaz, former Sindh chief minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah and Sharjeel Inaam Memon, then local body minister and now information minister of Sindh, among 33 people for illegally transferring government land to M/s Bahria Town for its Bahria Town Karachi project in 2013 and 2014.
Hussain, who currently lives in Dubai, is one of Pakistan’s wealthiest and most influential businessmen and the country’s largest private employers. The anti-graft body this year said it had initiated the process to seek Hussain’s extradition from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), who was also charged in another land corruption case involving former prime minister Imran Khan and his wife.
A Pakistani court in January sentenced Khan to 14 years in prison and his wife, Bushra, to seven years, in the case in which they are accused of receiving land as a bribe from Hussain through the Al-Qadir charitable trust in exchange for illegal favors during Khan’s premiership from 2018 to 2022. Khan says he and his wife were trustees and did not benefit from the land transaction. Hussain too denies any wrongdoing relating to the case.
Hussain has recently launched a new project of luxury apartments in Dubai and NAB has prima facie evidence that certain individuals from Pakistan are illegally aiding him in this process by transferring their money to the UAE for investment in the project. These funds have been sent to foreign countries through “illegal means,” Radio Pakistan reported, citing the anti-graft body.
“Any funds transferred from Pakistan for this project will be considered money laundering, and legal action will be taken against the involved elements without discrimination,” the anti-corruption watchdog was quoted as saying.
“NAB will continue its legal actions against Bahria Town Pakistan without any delay or pressure to fully protect the rights of the citizens of Pakistan.”


Saudi Wafi Energy hires top stratcom firm to build ‘trusted presence’ in Pakistan

Saudi Wafi Energy hires top stratcom firm to build ‘trusted presence’ in Pakistan
Updated 28 sec ago
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Saudi Wafi Energy hires top stratcom firm to build ‘trusted presence’ in Pakistan

Saudi Wafi Energy hires top stratcom firm to build ‘trusted presence’ in Pakistan
  • Wafi Energy Pakistan partners with Nutshell Communications to enhance its brand position in country
  • Saudi fuel company made headlines last year when it acquired majority shares of Shell Pakistan Limited

ISLAMABAD: Saudi Arabia’s leading fuel station company, Wafi Energy Pakistan, this week announced its partnership with public relations and advocacy firm Nutshell Communications to enhance its presence in the South Asian country. 

Wafi Energy, an affiliate of the Asyad Group, made headlines last year when it became the majority shareholder of Shell Pakistan Limited (SPL) in November 2024. It now holds approximately 87.78 percent of the total issued share capital of SPL. However, the Shell brand will remain in Pakistan through retail and brand licensing agreements, with SPL as the exclusive brand licensee.

Wafi Energy announced it had partnered with Nutshell Communications, which says on its website it offers clients integrated PR, full spectrum marketing and communications services to build its brand’s reputation. 

“Nutshell Communications are experts at strategic communications and brand positioning,” Wafi Energy Pakistan CEO Zubair Shaikh was quoted in a press release issued by Nutshell Communications. “This partnership will play a key role in helping us build a strong, trusted presence in Pakistan’s energy landscape.”

Shaikh said the company aimed to invest in sustainable fuel and lubricants solutions, and advancing infrastructure to support Pakistan’s evolving energy needs.

Nutshell Group Chairman Azfar Ahsan reaffirmed his firm’s resolve to support transformative industry collaborations. 

“Global partnerships are essential to strengthen Pakistan’s economic resilience and energy independence,” Ahsan was quoted as saying. “Wafi Energy Pakistan’s presence significantly enhances Pakistan’s regional standing, and we are committed to nurturing this partnership toward continued growth and mutual success.”

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have moved in recent months to further strengthen trade and investment ties. Pakistani and Saudi businesses signed several agreements and memoranda of understanding (MoUs) in October 2024 worth $2.8 billion. 

Islamabad is also eyeing Saudi investment in key sectors such as oil and gas, renewable energy, mining and minerals, infrastructure and others to keep its fragile $350 billion economy afloat.


Pakistan top parliamentary panel on national security to meet today amid rising militant attacks

Pakistan top parliamentary panel on national security to meet today amid rising militant attacks
Updated 16 min 35 sec ago
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Pakistan top parliamentary panel on national security to meet today amid rising militant attacks

Pakistan top parliamentary panel on national security to meet today amid rising militant attacks
  • Pakistan military to hold in-camera briefing of parliamentary committee on country’s prevalent security situation
  • Meeting takes place after separatist militants stormed train in Balochistan last week, held over 400 passengers hostage

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Parliamentary Committee on National Security will hold an in-camera meeting today, Tuesday, to discuss surging attacks in the country’s western provinces bordering Afghanistan and Iran, particularly Balochistan. 

The meeting takes place amid a sharp rise in militant attacks last week in Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province. The most prominent of these attacks was led by the separatist Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) outfit last Tuesday, whose fighters stormed the Jaffar Express train in a remote mountain pass in Balochistan and held over 400 passengers hostage. The military launched an operation and after a day-long stand-off, rescued 354 hostages and killed 33 insurgents. A final count showed 23 soldiers, three railway employees and five passengers had died in the attack.

Violence persisted in the southwestern province as three paramilitary soldiers were among five killed in a suicide blast in Balochistan’s Nushki district on Sunday. The escalation in attacks prompted Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq to convene a session of the parliamentary panel on Tuesday at Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s advice. 

“An in-camera meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on National Security will be held at the Parliament House in Islamabad at 11 a.m. today,” state broadcaster Radio Pakistan reported. 

The state-run media said a “comprehensive briefing” on the country’s security situation will be given to committee members by the military leadership, which would include parliamentary leaders from all political parties and members of the federal cabinet. 

Oil-and-mineral-rich Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest and least populated province, has been plagued by a long-running, low-level insurgency where ethnic Baloch separatists accuse the central government of denying locals of a share in the province’s resources. Islamabad and Pakistan’s military strongly reject the allegations.

The military has a huge presence in Balochistan and has long run intelligence-based operations against insurgent groups such as the BLA, who have escalated attacks in recent months on the military and nationals from longtime ally China, which is building key projects in the region, including a port at Gwadar.

More than 50 people, including security forces, were killed in August last year in a string of assaults in Balochistan claimed by the BLA.

Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province bordering Afghanistan has also seen a sharp rise in militant attacks since November 2022, when a fragile truce between the state and the Pakistani Taliban or the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) broke down. 

The TTP has carried out some of the deadliest attacks against Pakistan’s security forces and civilians since 2007 in KP. 

Pakistan accuses the Afghan government of sheltering TTP militants, allegations which have strained ties between the two neighbors and prompted strong denials from Kabul. 


Karachi street performer juggles hardships, brings smiles on bustling food street

Karachi street performer juggles hardships, brings smiles on bustling food street
Updated 34 min 24 sec ago
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Karachi street performer juggles hardships, brings smiles on bustling food street

Karachi street performer juggles hardships, brings smiles on bustling food street
  • Jamal Shah began performing in theater as a teenager but lost his job during the coronavirus pandemic
  • He says survival is a battle, as he navigates the harsh stage of the streets to support his five children

KARACHI: As dusk falls over Burns Road, Karachi’s busy food street, a man in a bright blue curly wig and neon-yellow jacket steps into the crowd, a red clown nose perched on his face. His hands, covered in red gloves, juggle colorful balls, drawing the attention of people, particularly children who watch with excitement.
This is Jamal Shah, a street performer whose journey from stage artist to roadside entertainer is a tale of resilience and a deep desire to connect with people through his passion for performance.
Before the coronavirus pandemic shuttered theaters and circuses, Shah was a seasoned performer, traveling across Pakistan’s four provinces and receiving praise for his magic shows and juggling acts.
Since 1998, the 41-year-old has led a life of artistic fulfillment. But the pandemic changed everything, leaving him and countless others jobless.
“Before COVID, I used to perform in theaters, circuses, variety shows, magic shows, and festivals,” Shah said, his voice cutting through the noise. “I am not just a street artist. I am a trained theater and stage performer.”
Yet, circumstances forced him out of familiar settings, leaving him to perform on the streets, where passersby are often too absorbed to notice his skillful acts.
“I turned to street performances after [theater] shows were shut down,” he said. “Without these shows, I had to find a way to survive with a wife and five children. I live on rent, so I had no choice but to perform on the streets.”
Every evening, Shah leaves Quaidabad on his motorcycle, making a 25-kilometer journey to the Burns Road in heart of Saddar, which has been his lifeline for the past five years.
During Ramadan, he performs from Iftar to Suhoor, his efforts barely enough to cover his family’s basic needs.
“My family is struggling,” Shah told Arab News. “One of my children is unwell, I am also unwell, and so is my wife. But I decided that I would not beg from anyone. Instead, I would use my skills here.”
But the street is a harsh stage where sometimes speeding motorcyclists crash into him and passersby occasionally hurl mocking remarks. Despite the hardships, Shah takes comfort in the smiles he brings to children’s faces.
“When I see children smiling, my personal sorrows fade away,” he said. “I never bring my grief to the public. As for my tears, I know when they well up and when I hide them. When I am performing, the character I embody requires me to conceal my tears, which I do, while striving to keep people happy and smiling.”
His children, who once went to school, now attend a seminary for religious education. Shah said his greatest desire was to provide them with a brighter future.
“I want to support my family and children so that my children can also go to school and study, educate themselves, play a positive role in society and become its valuable members,” he said. “If my children get an education, they will develop a good character.”
Shah’s dedication to his craft is unwavering, making him pledge to perform until there is strength in his body.
“One must fight for survival,” he added. “Whether it’s scorching heat or cold, I am here.”
Shah said performers like him felt duty-bound to spread joy among people.
“Every person deprived of happiness should find joy in watching us, and their sadness should be transformed into smiles and happiness,” he said, his eyes reflecting the flickering lights of the food street and hope for a better future.


Pakistan Tekken 8 team delivers historic victory in Seoul, dismantling South Korea

Pakistan Tekken 8 team delivers historic victory in Seoul, dismantling South Korea
Updated 18 March 2025
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Pakistan Tekken 8 team delivers historic victory in Seoul, dismantling South Korea

Pakistan Tekken 8 team delivers historic victory in Seoul, dismantling South Korea
  • Pakistan wins with seven of the best players from both countries taking part in special Tekken 8 team event
  • Winning team included Pakistan’s Arslan Siddique, considered one of the greatest Tekken players in the world currently

ISLAMABAD: A team from Pakistan delivered a historic victory in Seoul this week in a special Tekken 8 event, dismantling South Korea’s long-standing dominance in competitive Tekken esports.

South Korea had for years been the leading force in competitive Tekken until Pakistan’s Arslan Siddique, better known as Arslan Ash, began to gain prominence by winning major international tournaments. He is a five-time EVO champion, having emerged victorious in EVO Las Vegas 2019, 2023, 2024 as well as EVO Japan 2019 and 2023.

Considered one of the greatest Tekken players in the world currently, Ash became the first professional gamer in 2023 to win the global Tekken 7 title four times. Ash also won the Tekken World Tour Finals 2023 and has made the Tekken battle between Pakistan and South Korea one of the most enduring and celebrated storylines in the esports community.

“Pakistan is the best Tekken region in the world again,” Ash posted on X, after Pakistan’s win against South Korea, with seven of the best players from each country taking part. 

The players participating in the Pakistan team event were TM|Arslan Ash, DRX|Knee, Falcons|Atif, KDF|Ulsan, Falcons|Farzeen, Varrel|Rangchu, QAD|TheJon, KDF|CBM, Fate|Numan Ch, VIT|JeonDDing, ROC|Usama Abbasi, KDF|Mulgold, TM|Hafiz Tanveer and DRX|Chanel.

“With yet another Pakistan Tekken victory, the nation has cemented its position at the pinnacle of competitive Tekken,” Pakistan’s top tech news and media outlet, TechJuice, reported on Monday.

“Once seen as challengers, Pakistan’s Tekken warriors have rewritten history, proving that the Tekken esports landscape belongs to them.”


Pakistani, UAE officials agree to expand cooperation in railways sector

Pakistani, UAE officials agree to expand cooperation in railways sector
Updated 17 March 2025
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Pakistani, UAE officials agree to expand cooperation in railways sector

Pakistani, UAE officials agree to expand cooperation in railways sector
  • The UAE is Pakistan’s third-largest trading partner after China and US, and a key source of foreign investment
  • Pakistan Railways is currently working to improve its services with the help of domestic and international partners

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani and United Arab Emirates (UAE) officials have agreed to expand bilateral cooperation between the two countries in the railways sector, the Pakistani railway ministry said on Monday.
The statement came after Railways Minister Hanif Abbasi’s meeting with UAE First Secretary to Pakistan Ahmed Al-Tahiri, at which both officials discussed strengthening bilateral relations across all sectors.
Abbasi highlighted that Pakistan Railways is continuously working to improve its services through long-term agreements with domestic and international suppliers, emphasizing that Pakistan offers a business-friendly environment and presents significant opportunities for investors.
“Both sides deliberated on various aspects of railway operations and mutual trade interests,” the Pakistani railways ministry said in a statement. “Both leaders agreed to continue and expand bilateral cooperation in the railway sector and other economic domains.”
Pakistan Railways faces many challenges like aging infrastructure, outdated tracks, locomotives and signal systems. Poor maintenance and a lack of modern safety measures often contribute to train derailments and accidents. Notable tragedies include the 2005 Ghotki train disaster, which killed over 130 people and the 2021 collision that left at least 65 people dead.
The UAE is Pakistan’s third-largest trading partner after China and the United States, and a major source of foreign investment valued at over $10 billion in the last 20 years, according to the UAE’s foreign ministry. Both countries have stepped up efforts in recent years to strengthen their economic relations. In Jan. 2024, Pakistan and the UAE signed multiple agreements worth more than $3 billion for cooperation in railways, economic zones and infrastructure.
During Monday’s meeting, the UAE first secretary emphasized the deep-rooted ties of brotherhood and mutual respect between the two nations, according to the Pakistani railway ministry.
“He reaffirmed the UAE’s commitment to further enhancing bilateral cooperation,” the ministry said.