A recent investigation by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) has uncovered a vast array of properties owned by high-ranking officials from Pakistan, including retired military generals, bankers, and bureaucrats, in upscale areas of Dubai.
The data, revealed through the OCCRP’s Dubai Unlocked project, shows that over a dozen retired military generals, two retired air vice-marshals, a serving inspector general of police, and several former and current chairmen of prominent institutions from Pakistan own properties in Dubai’s luxurious neighborhoods.
Among the notable individuals listed are:-
Former military dictator General (r) Pervez Musharraf and his wife, who own three properties in Dubai Marina, Burj Khalifa, and Al Thanyah Fifth.-
Lieutenant General (r) Shafaat Ullah Shah, who is listed as a property owner and had also appeared in the Pandora Papers.-
Major General (r) Ehtasham Zameer, his son, and other children, who own properties in Al Warsan First and Marina Arcade Marsa areas.-
Lieutenant General Afzal Muzaffar’s son, who is listed as a property owner.-
Inspector General of Police (IGP) Azad Jammu and Kashmir Dr. Sohail Habib Tajik, who owns a property in Al Dafrah First Al Thanyah Third and claims to have purchased it in 2002 with his UN salary.-
Former president of the National Bank of Pakistan Arif Usmani, who owns a penthouse.-
Lieutenant General (r) Muhammad Akram, who owns a property in Elite Residences 4.-
Lieutenant General Alam Jan Mehsud and his spouse, who own a five-bedroom apartment in Al Hamri Palm Jumeirah.-
Major General (r) Ghazanfar Ali Khan, who owns a property in S15 Building Al Warsan First.-
Major General (r) Raja Muhammad Arif Nazir, who owns a property in Golf Promenade 2-A, Al Hebiah third area.-
Air Vice Marshal (r) Saleem Tariq and Air Vice Marshal (r) Khalid Masood Rajput, who are also listed as property owners.-
Major General (r) Muhammad Farooq, Major General (r) Anis Bajwa’s spouse, and Maj Gen (r) Najam-ul-Hassan Shah, who are included in the list.-
Former chairman of OGDCL Zahid Muzaffar and chairman PCST Syed Anwar-ul Hassan Gillani, who are also listed as property owners.
Among the politicians , Asif Ali Zardari family has been named. Zardari’s daughters Asifa Bhutto and Bakhtawar along with brother Bilawal Bhutto Zardari own properties in Dubai. Others include Spouse of Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Sharjeel Inam Memon, Faisal Vawda. Four members of national assembly of Pakistan, and a dozen of Provincial assembly members are named in the report.
The investigation has raised questions about the sources of funding for these properties and whether they were acquired through legitimate means. Some individuals have confirmed owning the properties and claimed to have declared them in their assets and paid taxes accordingly, while others have not commented on the matter. The investigation has sparked concerns about corruption and money laundering among elite in Pakistan.
Source of the report https://www.occrp.org/en/dubai-unlocked/