In a significant development, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) jointly conducted raids on the offices of Bahria Town in Islamabad. The operation is part of a broad investigation into a sprawling money laundering and hawala-hundi network allegedly linked to renowned property tycoon Malik Riaz and his son, Ali Riaz.
During the raids, law enforcement officials seized a substantial number of sensitive documents and arrested multiple Bahria Town employees. These documents reportedly provide critical evidence pointing toward financial irregularities and transactions that were deliberately concealed from regulatory bodies.
According to the FIA, investigators have so far identified three separate money laundering cases involving Bahria Town. These include laundering activities amounting to Rs 1.58 trillion between 2016 and January 2025, Rs 1 billion between 2015 and March 2025, and Rs 24 billion from 2005 to 2015. Authorities believe these operations were conducted through informal money transfer systems such as hawala and hundi.
Benami Properties and Reopened Cases Add to the Growing Scandal
The FIA further revealed details regarding a series of benami (front) properties allegedly connected to Bahria Town. These properties, registered under fictitious names, are estimated to be worth hundreds of billions of rupees. Investigators suspect these assets were used to conceal the proceeds of illicit financial activities.
The seized evidence reportedly matches documentation already present in earlier NAB inquiries, prompting the anti-corruption body to reopen several pending cases against Bahria Town. Officials from both FIA and NAB have confirmed that investigations will now move into a more aggressive phase, with legal proceedings expected to commence on a daily basis starting next week.
Authorities have vowed to ensure that all those involved in these unlawful activities are brought to justice, pledging a comprehensive legal course to tackle corruption and financial misconduct at all levels.
