Hidden assets of powerful elite: Dubai, London, or Belgium – Does it make any difference?

What difference does it make if your hidden assets are in Dubai, London, or Belgium? What punishment could you face, or what might prevent you from running in elections? You could even be re-elected president, or no one could stop you from becoming prime minister. At one time, you could hold two major positions simultaneously. All ministries are at your disposal, all positions, all protocols are for our elite, who answer to no one.

A movement is underway in Kashmir. Now these Dubai leaks might suppress this news, bury it somewhere, and present anchors with a new topic. But it’s said that the leaks also contained the names of media owners, kept hidden, and even the names of other anchors. But the ink in the pens of those who report seems to have dried up.

Some big political names:

Sharjeel Memon, the wealthiest minister and MPA from Sindh, has served time in jail for corruption in government advertising contracts as Information Minister. What difference does it make now that he’s back as the Information Minister on a lucky break?

Sharjeel Memon and his wife have five properties that have come to public attention, with ownership in the millions of dollars.

Mirza Ikhtiar Baig is a longtime worker of the People’s Party and a big industrialist.

Mirza Ikhtiar Baig, his brother Ishtiaq Baig, and his spouse have revealed the ownership of around 15 apartments in Dubai, with Mirza claiming that all his Dubai assets are included in his tax returns.

Among other big names, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi’s wife’s name is on the list of ‘Million Dollar Villa,’ which was bought for $1.18 million and sold for $1.23 million. According to the leaks, a property was also purchased in Dubai in January 2024. He says that he will soon show it in his tax return and also inform the Election Commission. The question is, was this property purchased during his tenure as Minister?

Bakhtawar Zardari, Zardari, Bilawal, and Asifa Zardari are also owners of million-dollar properties.

Other politicians included in the Dubai leaks are Sardar Sanaullah Zehri, Sardar Akhtar Mengal, and senior Faisal Vawda. Faisal was disqualified as a Minister of Water Resources, then elected as a Senator with PTI support, and now again elected as a Senator from Sindh with PPP support. Can anyone shake them up, ask them questions, or make any difference? Even if they make one of them the next prime minister.

Former caretaker and elected Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz’s name is also in the leaks. He has a two-million-dollar apartment. Most of his life has been spent affiliated with Citi Bank, mainly in America, so he won’t face many questions.

Real Estate Big Names: 

Big names in real estate include Haji Haroon is on the top of the list of 5.

And the other name is the king of the underworld- Goldman Sachs, Khanani and Kalia. According to Dawn’s report, there was a time when Khanani and Kalia’s annual turnover was between 14 billion dollars to 16 billion dollars.

Altaf Khanani was sentenced to six years in jail in America. Altaf Khanani’s son Ubaid Khanani and nephew Huzaifa Khanani were blacklisted. According to Dawn, Ubaid Khanani has around 30 properties in Dubai alone, and when combined with other family members, almost 85 properties are registered in Dubai.

Like the Khanani family, the Pollani family’s Atif Abdul Aziz Polani’s name is also associated with money laundering. According to DubaiLeaks, the Polani family has eight properties in Dubai, including four villas.

Ex-military men in Dubai leaks:

Retired Lt Gen Shafaat Ullah Shah, a senior military officer during the tenure of former dictator Gen Pervez Musharraf is a listed owner in the leaks for a property purchased in 2015. The purchase data obtained by OCCRP shows that this property, a two-bedroom apartment in Barsha Heights, was purchased for $139,398 in 2015. In response to questions sent by Dawn, Mr Shafaat ullah Shah said that all assets owned by him or his immediate family members, as well as income generated on them, were disclosed to regulators, including the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR).

Marina Arcade, Dubai. Photo by Ole Martin Wold

Retired Lt Gen Muhammad Akram is the listed owner of two studio apartments in the Elite Residences 4 building. Mr Akram is no longer the current owner of the properties, which were sold in the same period to one individual. Purchase data shows that both studios were bought in September 2013 for around $150,000 each and later sold in 2022 for an unknown amount.

Retired Maj Gen Ghazanfar Ali Khan appears in the leaks as the listed owner of a residential unit in Al Warsan First. Transaction data shows the property was purchased in October 2010 for $81,406. The rental income generated from it between December 2013 and February 2024 was $64,117.

The late Gen Musharraf and his wife are listed as owners of one property, with his spouse showing as its present owner. The three-bedroom apartment in Sadaf 2 appears to have been purchased in April 2012 for $449,233

Retired Brig Nadir Mir is listed in the data as the owner of a studio apartment in Al Warsan First. The property was bought in March 2010 for $54,110. From 2014 to 2023, the listed rental income for the property is $33,052.

The late Gen Musharraf and his wife are listed as owners of one property, with his spouse showing as its present owner. The three-bedroom apartment in Sadaf 2 appears to have been purchased in April 2012 for $449,233.

Ex DG military land, retired Maj Gen Syed Najamul Hassan Shah, is also listed as the owner of an off-plan property in Al Saqran Tower. The property’s market price in June 2012 was $361,942. He is also linked to two other properties in Al Thanya Fifth Al Shera and in Al Hebiah Third, but neither appears to be owned by him today.

Retired Maj Azizul Aman Zuberi and a family member are listed owners of a property in Shakespeare Circus 1, which was valued at $147,797 in November 2013 and sold in April 2022.

Retired Major Gen Ausaf Ali is listed as owner of a studio apartment in Al Yufra 2, and still owns this property according to the DLD system. It was purchased in February 2016 for $139,298.

Retired Maj Gen Raja Arif Nazir, HI(M) is listed as owner against two off-plan properties. These include a one-bedroom residential unit in Damac Hills Artesia Tower valued in February 2015 at $311,931. And the second is a one-bedroom apartment in Golf Promenade that was valued at $342,791 in June 2014.

For the latter, a rental income of $36,755 was generated between mid-2021 and mid-2024. Mr Nazir still owned these properties as of March 2024, according to the DLD.

Retired Air Vice Marshal Khalid Masood Rajput’s name also appeared in the leaks.

Courtesy: Dawn News