Govt blocks Malik Riaz's passport in £190m case

The government has blocked the passports of property tycoon Malik Riaz and several other individuals accused in the £190 million corruption case.

The individuals affected by this decision, including Riaz’s son Ali Riaz, former accountability adviser Barrister Shahzad Akbar, and Farhat Shahzadi, a close associate of Bushra Bibi, have been declared absconders.

The action was taken at the request of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), according to an interior ministry official. None of the individuals whose passports were blocked are currently in Pakistan.

Malik Riaz is reportedly in the UAE, where he is involved in the development of a luxury housing project, "Bahria Town Dubai."

NAB has issued a warning to potential investors in the project, stating that it could be considered money laundering by the government.

Farhat Shahzadi left for Dubai in April 2022, just days before Imran Khan was ousted as prime minister.

Shahzad Akbar resigned from his position as the prime minister’s adviser in January 2022 and subsequently left for the United Kingdom.

Both were placed on the Exit Control List (ECL) thereafter.