ISLAMABAD – Information Minister Attaullah Tarar on Wednesday revealed that the federal government has uncovered concrete evidence of large-scale money laundering involving real estate magnate Malik Riaz and his company, Bahria Town.
Speaking during a televised press briefing, Tarar disclosed that the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) had recently conducted a raid as part of its ongoing probe into the Bahria Town corruption case, leading to what he described as “incontrovertible proof” of financial misconduct.
“This is a significant breakthrough,” Tarar stated. “Documents recovered during the FIA operation show evidence of money laundering amounting to Rs1.12 billion. These documents clearly link Malik Riaz and Bahria Town to extensive financial irregularities.”
According to the minister, Rawalpindi’s Safari Hospital served as a front for the illegal operation, with cash and sensitive records stored on the premises. He further alleged that ambulances were being used to transport both money and documents to avoid detection.
“Not only do the findings confirm illegal transactions and the use of hundi and hawala systems, but they also reveal that hospital resources were exploited to cover up the laundering network,” Tarar said.
He added that two individuals — identified as Imran and Kaiser — were apprehended during the raid and found to be running the hundi and hawala operations. Both men were reportedly linked to Bahria Town’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and finance director.
Tarar emphasized that the scope of the alleged money laundering scheme goes beyond the Rs1.12 billion figure, noting that the investigation is still in its early stages and more revelations are expected.
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He claimed that attempts were made to destroy evidence during the raid. “Bahria Town staff tried to burn documents when the FIA entered the premises. Although some papers were destroyed, the majority were successfully recovered,” he said. “If there was nothing to hide, why destroy the records?”
The minister further stated that Malik Riaz, Bahria Town CFO Amir Rasheed, and finance head Shahid Qureshi were directly linked to Imran and Kaiser and accused them of orchestrating the laundering racket.
“This operation was designed to siphon off billions of rupees through illegal channels, harming Pakistan’s economy,” Tarar said. “No funds were sent abroad through formal banking systems.”
He urged individuals involved in the network to surrender, warning that authorities had information on additional suspects and their locations.
Tarar clarified that residents of Bahria Town would not be impacted by the investigation. “Our focus is solely on Malik Riaz, his associates, and family members implicated in this money laundering scheme,” he concluded.