Most powerful Civilian Of Pakistan: Malik Riaz
Power in Pakistan is simultaneous, with the armed forces and the establishment running the show. The rise of a civilian to the extent of being considered the “untouchable” in a country like Pakistan is somewhat impossible because it takes much more than being popular or rich. Many people believe Imran Khan is the most powerful civilian in Pakistan; their opinion might have had a hit now, as they say Pakistan is not for beginners. In such a society, a businessman who rose to the ranks of wealth and power with a humble background is nothing less than a fairy tale, but power has its own consequences, and it does get on one’s head.
It is said that in the 80s, Malik Riaz used to roam around Rawalpindi on a bicycle, but today he is probably the most powerful civilian of Pakistan. In May 2020, a video went viral. In this video, it was clearly visible that Malik Riaz’s daughters and some other women from his family were breaking into the house of actor Uzma Khan and assaulting her. The whole world knew who the attacker was. Who was accused, but at first no media outlet covered this news. After a week when police filed a complaint on behalf of Uzma Khan, even then the coverage was done in a censored manner. When the case of assault has been filed against 15 unknown people, including three women. According to the FIR, model Uzma Khan told the police that she and two sisters had woken up from the assault. The attackers broke into the house and entered the house. The woman injured her sister by hitting her on the head with a bottle. The attackers and their guards vandalized the house and also threatened to kill them. The names were clearly written in the FIR, but the anchor did not take them. The women were visible in the video, but their faces were hidden. With such straightforward evidence, neither the media, judiciary, nor any other institution managed to do anything; rather, everyone facilitated the Malik Riaz’s family. Malik Riaz never makes any uncalculated move personally, but here he also managed to save his family. He is a man who bargains with the judiciary of the country with billions on the table, something he is best at and the skill that made him the most powerful person in the country.
State clears the land for his projects, and when billions of rupees are caught red-handed in a money laundering scandal, he makes deals with government authorities and decides a fine for his mistakes. Imran Khan, Nawaz Sharif, Zardari, Chaudhary brothers, and Altaf Hussain—there is hardly any politician who has ever insulted Malik Riaz. They might have a thousand issues between them, but Malik Riaz’s name is never highlighted in any matter, and neither do authorities question his authority.
Surviving is an art in Pakistan, and Malik Riaz is the best artist in this regard. He openly claims on shows of the power he possesses is because of the bribery culture in Pakistani society. It is unimaginable about the wealth he bestows on government officials and media to keep them under control and work for them. Land grabbers are always in his pocket, even the most disciplined institution in Pakistan, and the direct competitors of his business, DHA owners, share the bond of mutual respect with him.
He acquires land worth billions of rupees using the power of the state itself in a country where it is not possible to do that in a single square foot of land without involving bribes and influence. The stories of Bahria Town, Karachi, are very famous in this regard, but the magnitude of land grabbing in that case is undermined. It is a project bigger than the centuries-old city of Sialkot itself. Next time when you go to Bahria Town, sit quietly on one side and try to listen carefully. In this deep silence, you will hear the suppressed screams of thousands of poor Sindhis who were forcibly thrown out of their ancestral lands. In 2013, when the announcement of Bahria Town was made, its activities started. Till that time, the Bahria Town did not have even an inch of land. When they come to occupy the land, people register. When people register, they are arrested and locked up, and FIRs of terrorism are filed in front of them. There are many such examples. They were forcibly made to sign the land papers through police officers like Rao Anwar.
A complete ecosystem was destroyed for Bahria town. The indigenous population was harassed. Their lands snatched away. Forests, rivers, and mountains were taken away and bestowed on Bahria Town, and that is very true. If you ever visit Bahria Town, Karachi, you will find these places within Bahria Town. The land area is huge with fascinating geography. As a businessman, it costs less, but as a human, it costs humanity.