A report by a group of investigative journalists from different countries of the world, including Pakistan, revealed on Tuesday that foreigners own properties worth nearly $400 billion in Dubai.
Among these foreigners are 17,000 Pakistanis who own 23,000 properties worth $11 billion in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE). Sher Afzal Marwat, a member of Pakistan’s current National Assembly and a close aide of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan, is among the thousands of Pakistanis who own these expensive properties in Dubai.
Farhat Shahzadi, popularly known as Farah Gogi and a close friend of former first lady Bushra Bibi, is also said to have ownership of a property(ies) in Dubai.
Since owning a property in Dubai is not illegal under any Pakistani law, relevant Pakistani authorities have yet to ascertain if these properties were bought with the money transferred abroad through legal channels.
Other Pakistanis who own the properties abroad are the three children of President Asif Ali Zardari, Hussain Nawaz Sharif, the spouse of Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Sharjeel Memon, along with his family members, Senator Faisal Vawda, four Members of the National Assembly (MNAs), and around half a dozen Members of the Provincial Assembly (MPAs) from Sindh and Balochistan.
Additionally, the list features late Gen Pervez Musharraf, former Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, over a dozen retired generals, a police chief, an ambassador, and a scientist.
How Many Indians Own Properties In Dubai?
Indians top the the list as 29,700 Indians have 35,000 properties in Dubai and their total worth is $17 billion. Commercial and residential properties bought in the name of companies are not included in this list.
What Is ‘Dubai Unlocked’ Project?
Named ‘Dubai Unlocked’, the project draws upon extensive data detailing hundreds of thousands of properties in Dubai, along with information on their ownership or utilization. The dataset primarily covers the years 2020 and 2022, excluding properties registered under corporate entities and those situated in commercial zones from the analysis.
