RAWALPINDI (Dunya News) – The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Tuesday raided Bahria Town’s Rawalpindi office.
Bahria Town is a housing project, launched and owned by real estate tycoon Malik Riaz.
The NAB, supported by police, raided the office located in the phase 2 of Bahria Town apparently to confiscate the record of the Al-Qadir Trust University.
Ironically, there was no official word from the NAB or other authorities, but some Bureau officials confirmed the raid.
NAB spokesperson Birj Lal also expressed his ignorance about the raid, saying: “The raid might have been conducted by NAB Rawalpindi, but I cannot confirm it.”
It may be recalled that Malik Riaz and his son Ali Malik, who are currently said to be residing in the UAE, have already been declared proclaimed offenders in the Al-Qadir Trust case by an accountability court.
MALIK RIAZ TWEETS
Bahria Town owner Malik Riaz, meanwhile, in his tweet on the social media website X, wrote that he would not become approver, despite oppression.
"کفر کا نظام چل سکتا ہے، ظلم کا نہیں" حضرت علی علیہ السلام ملک ریاض وعدہ معاف گواہ نہیں بنے گا۔۔جو چاہے مجھ پر ظلم کرو۔ Tonight, Bahria Town offices in Rawalpindi have been raided by state machinery without any legal authority. Following my public declaration to not be party to…
— Malik Riaz Hussain (@MalikRiaz_) May 28, 2024He also posted a CCTV video claimed to be of the raid in which several plainclothes men could be seen piling files on a table taken out of shelves and drawers in an office space.
In a subsequent tweet, he claimed the raid lasted for hours and nine of his employees were taken away, along with office records and vehicles.
He urged the authorities to release his staff and return the seized equipment.
Riaz said many Bahria Town properties and accounts were seized the previous month.
Last week, Malik Riaz posted a message on X that he was facing “pressure” to take a political side and was facing financial losses, but vowed not to be used as a “pawn for political motives”.