Pakistan has intensified its legal pursuit of property tycoon Malik Riaz and his son Ali Riaz, with Interpol reportedly issuing a global arrest request for both individuals as authorities push forward with extradition proceedings.
The development was shared by National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Chairman Nazir Ahmed during a briefing, where he said a dedicated team is being dispatched to advance efforts for their extradition. However, the issuance of the international alert has not been independently confirmed through Interpol’s official channels.
An international arrest request of this nature allows law enforcement agencies worldwide to identify, locate, and provisionally detain individuals pending extradition or further legal action. The move marks a major escalation in Pakistan’s ongoing cases involving Malik Riaz, who has already been declared an absconder, along with his son.
Malik Riaz, 72, is the founder of Bahria Town, one of Pakistan’s largest private real estate development companies, while his son Ali Riaz, 48, serves as its chief executive. Although the group has significantly shaped Pakistan’s housing and property sector, it has also remained under sustained legal scrutiny for years.
The father and son have faced multiple legal challenges, including disputes over land acquisition and regulatory matters. In 2019, Pakistan’s Supreme Court ordered Bahria Town to settle outstanding payments with the Sindh government linked to its Karachi project, one of the most high-profile rulings involving the company.
Malik Riaz is also a key figure in the Al-Qadir Trust case, where he has been declared an absconder. Pakistani authorities initiated formal extradition efforts from the United Arab Emirates in early 2025, reflecting a broader push to pursue accountability in major financial and corruption cases.
Separately, in 2019, Malik Riaz and his son agreed to forfeit £190 million to the UK’s National Crime Agency following an unexplained wealth order investigation. The amount, linked to proceeds from a London property sale, was later transferred to Pakistan.
Those funds later became part of a high-profile political corruption case involving former prime minister Imran Khan. Malik Riaz and his son have consistently denied wrongdoing, stating that the UK settlement was civil in nature and rejecting allegations as politically motivated.
