Days after initiating the process to extradite Bahria Town owner Malik Riaz from the United Arab Emirates, the government has blocked the passports of the property tycoon and other individuals declared absconders in the £190 million corruption case.
Among those affected are Malik Riaz, his son Ali Riaz, former accountability adviser Barrister Shahzad Akbar, and Farhat Shahzadi, a close associate of Bushra Bibi.
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According to an interior ministry official, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) requested the move against these key figures.
None of the individuals are currently in Pakistan. Malik Riaz, once a powerful figure in the country’s elite circles, is presently in the UAE, where he is working on launching ‘Bahria Town Dubai,’ a luxury housing project.
NAB has already issued a warning to the public, advising against investing in the project, as it could be classified as money laundering by the government.
Farhat Shahzadi reportedly left for Dubai on April 5, 2022, just days before Imran Khan was ousted as prime minister through a no-confidence vote.
Mirza Shahzad Akbar resigned from his role as Khan’s accountability adviser in January 2022 and left for the UK before authorities placed his name on the Exit Control List.
