ISLAMABAD: Bahria Town Chairman Malik Riaz claimed on Sunday that he is being subjected to pressure for “political motives” but asserted his determination not to bow to any external forces.
In a message on X, formerly Twitter, the prominent real estate tycoon expressed that he has been “pushed to the wall” and is facing constant business losses. However, he did not specify who was pressurising him or the exact reasons behind it.
Malik Riaz, known for his connections with political parties, media, and both the civil and military establishments, has historically been considered “untouchable.” Despite his significant influence, Dawn’s attempts to gather comments from political experts and politicians were met with reluctance, as he had not disclosed the identities or reasons behind the pressures he mentioned.
It is widely speculated that Malik Riaz was alluding to the Al Qadir Trust/University case filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) against PTI founder Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi. The case accuses them of being the primary culprits in a £190 million corruption case, alleging that while serving as Prime Minister, Imran Khan and his spouse obtained land from Bahria Town Ltd to legalize Rs50 billion, which was identified and returned to Pakistan by UK authorities.
On January 9, an accountability court froze the properties of five co-accused in the case, including Malik Riaz and his son, Ahmed Ali Riaz. Both were declared proclaimed offenders for failing to join the investigations. Currently, Malik Riaz is believed to be out of the country.
In his message on X, Malik Riaz stated, “All my life, Allah has always guided me to stand by my principle of not taking any political side or being used by one party against the other. For over a year now, I’ve been under immense pressure to compromise, but I’ll never allow anyone to use me as a pawn for political motives.”
He claimed that this pressure is part of a recurring pattern of victimisation against him and his business for introducing state-of-the-art projects in Pakistan. “From 1996 till today, I’ve been ‘punished’ for contributing towards the progress of the country. I have faced such pressures in the past with absolute grit and strength. Even today, in a personal capacity, I can say with utmost certainty, ‘over my dead body’,” he added.
Despite his ailing condition and distress, Malik Riaz affirmed his resolve to stand firm in the face of adversity. “I’m standing firm in the face of this adversity, bearing financial business loss daily and being pushed to the wall completely, but will not surrender to any pressure tactics. Allah will guide and help me through this tough phase with dignity,” he said.
Reacting to the tycoon’s statement, former president and PTI leader Arif Alvi commented, “The pressure cooker will ‘burst one of these days’.” He warned that the resulting damage would not affect those who have ensured escape routes to foreign countries, but rather the loyal Pakistanis who have decided to live and die in their country.