NAB contacts FIA to extradite Malik Riaz via Interpol, source

In an interesting development, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has written a letter to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to extradite property tycoon Malik Riaz in Pakistan, a source said.

As per a source, the FIA will secure Riaz’s extradition from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) through the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) and then hand him over to NAB.

Interpol is an intergovernmental organisation that facilitates police cooperation among 196 member countries.

 
Interpol’s work focuses on four pressing areas of international crime: terrorism, cybercrime, organised crime, and financial crime with anti-corruption efforts. 

Following former premier Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi’s conviction in the £190 million case, commonly known as the Al-Qadir Trust case, on January 17, the accountability watchdog said in a press release that Riaz was an absconder in the same case and they had already frozen a number of his assets.

“Mr Malik Riaz is residing in Dubai, UAE. He has recently launched a project for the construction of luxury apartments in Dubai, UAE. The general public at large is hereby advised and warned to refrain from investing in the stated project. If the general public at large invests in the stated project, their actions would tantamount to money laundering, for which they may face criminal/ legal proceedings,” the press release read.

 
The controversial property tycoon, in response to the NAB press release against his Dubai-based project, took to X (formerly Twitter) last week, warning, “I am holding back, but there is a storm within me. If this dam breaks, then everyone’s façade will shatter. Don’t forget that the secrets of the past 25–30 years are preserved along with evidence.”

“My decision yesterday was the same as it is today: no matter how much oppression you inflict, I (Malik Riaz) will not testify,” he said.