A joint investigative journalism project called “Dubai Unlocked” has unveiled the ownership of properties belonging to the global elite in Dubai.
“Dubai Unlocked” list includes political figures, individuals subject to global sanctions, alleged money launderers, and criminals.
Pakistani individuals have also been identified in “Dubai Unlocked”, with their combined property value estimated at approximately $11 billion.
The project, based on data mainly from 2020 and 2022, provides insight into hundreds of thousands of properties in Dubai and their ownership or usage, excluding those owned by companies or located in commercial areas.
Key Takeaways from the list:
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Among the Pakistanis listed in the Property Leaks are President Asif Ali Zardari’s three children, Hussain Nawaz Sharif, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi’s wife, Sharjeel Memon and family members, Senator Faisal Vawda, Farah Gogi, Sher Afzal Marwat, four MNAs and half a dozen MPAs from the Sindh and Balochistan assemblies.
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The Pakistani list also features the late Gen Pervez Musharraf, former prime minister Shaukat Aziz and more than a dozen retired generals as well as a police chief, an ambassador and a scientist – all of whom owned properties either directly or through their spouses and children.
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The Property Leaks have also revealed that Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi’s wife owns a property in Dubai which he didn’t declare in the nomination papers he submitted in March this year for the Senate election.
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Per the Property Leaks data, Naqvi’s wife owns a five-bedroom villa in the Arabian Ranches. She received a rental income of AED600,000 (Rs45m) from this villa, which was purchased in August 2017 for AED4,347,888 (Rs329m) according to the record seen by The News. The villa remained in her ownership till April 2023 when it was sold for AED4,550,000 (Rs344m) as per the record.
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Since the data available to The News and other organisations was updated till 2022, Naqvi’s wife’s name appeared once in it — related to the above-mentioned information. She however continues to be the owner of a property in Dubai, if Dubai’s land record is taken as a guide.
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Chief Financial Officer of Omni Group Aslam Masood along with his wife is also shown as a listed owner of several properties in the data. The News checked the value of one of them and found out that it was purchased at AED1,060,626 (Rs80m) in March 2013.
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The Altaf Khanani network which was sanctioned by the US for involvement in money laundering has also surfaced on the list. His son, daughter, brother, and nephew are listed owners of several properties in Dubai. Three of them are facing sanctions.
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Another notable character is Hamid Mukhtar Shah, a Rawalpindi-based physician who was sanctioned by the US for his involvement in the kidnapping, detention of, and removal of kidneys from Pakistani labourers. He is listed as the owner of scores of properties.
* This report is appeared on Geo News website
Disclaimer
Geo News would like to add the following disclaimer to our story:
This OCCRP ‘Property Leaks’ story does not focus on Pakistan. Out of $389 billion, Pakistanis own less than 2.5% of the value.
Owning property outside Pakistan is not an illegal activity per se; many people own properties abroad — because they have worked abroad or have used their taxed income to buy those assets. It is for tax authorities in their respective countries to decide the legality of the matter.