Malik Riaz can’t escape this time, 25 years of illegality ends: Khawaja Asif

ISLAMABAD: Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has said that the state has tightened the noose around business tycoon Malik Riaz, who cannot escape this time around.

Addressing a news conference in Islamabad, he called for a national investigation into the Bahria Town project and Malik Riaz’s assets across the country.

He said that the situation has changed and nobody should get the impression that Malik Riaz will get any relief.

He said that Malik Riaz will not get any relief from any forum now, and Pakistan was seeking his extradition from the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

“After completing the process, the cases will be tried here as there is an extradition agreement with the UAE,” he said.

He said that the time is gone when no one dared to lay hands on Malik Riaz and anyone who invests money in the Bahria Town’s Dubai project will also face legal action and his money will sink.

He gave a clear message that now whoever does illegal work will be pursued. Malik Riaz will not get relief from the courts, nor will anything be gained by putting political pressure.

Also read: NAB warns citizens against investing in Malik Riaz’s Dubai project

“The media could not dare name the person. Now, the chain of accountability has also reached the media houses. The media does not allocate 10 seconds to public issues but keeps mudslinging at others. Many media owners themselves are not clean,” he said.

The defence minister said that Malik Riaz used to say that he could not think of doing business outside Pakistan. He said that he has a video of Malik Riaz, which he will put on X (Twitter) by this evening, but now he (Riaz) proudly says that “I have come to Dubai to launch a huge project,” asking people to invest in it.

He asked by saying “can you imagine how people go back on their words for wealth.”

“The media is equally hand in glove with Malik Riaz. You better remember when he talked, during a programme of two anchors, about bribing politicians, judges and journalist,” he said.

What can you expect in a country where journalists, politicians and judges are bribed?, he said

Asif said that Malik Riaz has purchased vast lands across Pakistan and obtained approvals for various societies with the backing of several influential figures. “All transactions for Bahria Towns established across the country are illegal. Lands belonging to orphans, widows, and the poor have been seized. The era when no one could hold Malik Riaz accountable is now over,” he said.

Talking about Malik Riaz, he said that there is no one in Pakistan whom he has not showered his blessings.

Back in 1997, he said when he questioned how Malik Riaz could use the name of Bahria and what benefit the Pakistan Navy was gaining from it, the then naval chief sent an admiral and asked him not to discuss the matter. “I never received an answer to my question.”

 The defence minister said that when he raised this issue, Malik Riaz approached him and said that everything is being done legally, and I am sending the lawyer to you. I denied the meeting saying “I am aware of the whole matter.”

He said that journalism is not free in Pakistan, and owners of media organizations must reflect on their actions as they refrain from airing statements against any businessman who provides them with business.

He said that he spoke about Malik Riaz’s tweet. Journalists protest against PECA, but they should also protest that they are denied time to air programmes against the man who provides business to media owners. Politicians are soft targets of the media.

Asif said that whenever I spoke against Malik Riaz in TV programes, it was cut and consored.

Reporters are the front soldiers of the media. And I’m with them.

He said that as long as double standards persist in Pakistan, democracy could not florish in its true essence. These double standards in journalism, politics, and the judiciary must end. He said that the number of journalists and cameras at today’s press conference was minimal and questioned whether his press conference would even be broadcast or fall victim to self-censorship.

He said that there should also be a debate on why, for 25 years, a single person was able to openly and systematically carry out illegal activities, and why everyone remained silent.