Leaked Property Details
Independent Senator Faisal Vawda criticized the recent ‘Dubai Leaks’ as part of a propaganda campaign, expressing his concerns about the timing of the report’s release.
Speaking on a private news channel’s current affairs show, Vawda argued that the report’s publication coincided suspiciously with Pakistan’s efforts to attract foreign investment.
The ‘Dubai Unlocked’ project revealed that Pakistanis, including over a dozen retired military officials, their families, as well as bankers and bureaucrats, collectively own approximately $11 billion worth of properties in Dubai.
Vawda, a former leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), pointed out the absence of any names from the former ruling party in the leaks.
He suggested that the report was selective and aimed at discrediting certain individuals while sparing others.
He noted that some “honest personalities” were unfairly included in the list, implying a biased approach in the report’s compilation.
The senator further alleged that the creators of the leaks had issued a “dossier” after selectively removing a specific group from it.
He criticized the report for indiscriminately labeling all properties as illegitimate without distinguishing between legitimate and illegitimate possessions.
Vawda refused to publicly clarify whether his own properties in Dubai were declared, maintaining that the timing of the leaks was particularly suspect.
He emphasized that the revelations came at a critical juncture when both Pakistan and its ally, Dubai, were poised to receive global investments.
Moreover, Vawda questioned the release of confidential property records shortly after a disturbance in the law and order situation in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).
According to the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project’s (OCCRP) Dubai Unlocked project, the disclosed data shows ownership of properties in upscale Dubai areas by numerous high-profile Pakistanis.
This list includes about a dozen retired military generals, two retired air vice-marshals, a serving inspector general of police, a retired president of the National Bank of Pakistan (NBP), a former chairman of the Oil and Gas Development Company (OGDCL), and a serving chairman of the Pakistan Council for Science and Technology.
In summary, Vawda’s objections highlight his belief that the timing and selectivity of the ‘Dubai Leaks’ report are strategically aimed at undermining certain individuals and destabilizing Pakistan’s investment climate.
