By Barrister Usman Ali, Ph.D.
The divide between the powerful and the powerless in Pakistan has never been hidden. Among the countless stories and striking examples of this divide, one is that of Malik Riaz, the owner of Bahria Town. This is, in fact, the story of Pakistan’s entire power structure. Here, when someone becomes the darling of powerful circles, they are not only placed on a pedestal, but the country’s resources, laws, and institutions are laid at their feet. That is why figures like Malik Riaz transform from mere businessmen into central players in politics and power.
His influence became clear when those who had initially objected to Bahria Town’s projects soon became his partners and companions. Generals, judges, bureaucrats, lawyers, journalists, and politicians all became part of his caravan.
Over the span of a few decades, Malik Riaz did not settle for being just a real estate businessman; he went on to shape the course of national politics. Among many other events, when pressure was mounted on Nawaz Sharif during the sit-ins at the behest of the generals, it was not a politician or a general but Malik Riaz who carried the message of resignation to the Prime Minister’s House at midnight. This episode illustrates his stature before the state’s most powerful institutions, and how extensively they used him.
Nearly all political parties, meanwhile, benefited from his projects, financially or politically. Some were given lavish foreign trips, others houses, and some were adorned with diamond rings and necklaces. Beyond providing generous assistance in elections, he also sponsored anti-government sit-ins at the behest of generals. Generals and judges, on the very next day after their retirement, would secure jobs in his institutions with hefty salaries and countless perks, their sole task being to use their influence to turn every black deed of his into white. The media, too, was so heavily influenced through advertising and perks that even today major channels hesitate to speak against him, and often avoid even mentioning his name.
In every state institution, Malik Riaz’s signal alone was enough for key transfers and appointments. Numerous incidents bear witness that he was the real sovereign, he was the law. But such partnerships of power are never permanent. As long as individuals serve the interests of the powerful, their illegal acts are ignored; once they become a burden, the grip tightens. Today Malik Riaz is under pressure, though perhaps only he and the institutions now acting against him know the real reasons. Ironically, instead of defending himself legally, he sought to win public sympathy by portraying himself as a victim and a hero, a move that worsened the situation, leaving millions of people in uncertainty. Rather than accounting for his actions, Malik Riaz is creating difficulties for those whose life savings made him a tycoon.
The real loss, however, is borne by ordinary people, those who spent their savings to build homes in Bahria Town. These people were neither part of politics nor of the power game. Their only expectation was to live a peaceful and quality life. Their confidence rested on the repeated assurances of governments, judges, generals, and politicians, all of whom hailed Malik Riaz as a national asset and declared Bahria Town safe and trustworthy. For this reason, they believed their investment was secure.
But today, the power game has imposed the greatest uncertainty upon these very residents. Malik Riaz himself has lost nothing; he continues to live a prosperous life in Dubai with his family and invests billions of dollars in Pakistan, money earned from Pakistanis themselves. The residents, however, are anxious not just for shelter but for the amenities and community life that made Bahria Town unique. A fear has taken root in their minds that if the administration changes, the system of services will collapse. This is where the government’s responsibility grows. Mere statements and reassurances are not enough. The government must lay out a clear policy: if Bahria Town is taken away from Malik Riaz’s administration, what will its future be? To rescue residents from this crisis, their registered associations must be taken into confidence, and a system established that safeguards their rights, services, and investments. Malik Riaz too is legally bound to provide these facilities, and if he fails, residents retain the right to take collective legal action.
At the same time, accountability cannot be confined to one man. If Malik Riaz engaged in illegal acts, he should be punished, but those powerful classes who enabled him, generals, judges, bureaucrats, politicians, and journalists, must also be exposed and held accountable. Until the powerful are shielded and only pawns are sacrificed, this game will never end.
Pakistan’s power circles must learn from this experience. They must stop creating such figures for short-term gain, who later become monsters for the entire country. State institutions must use their authority for the benefit of the people, not to fill the pockets of a few. The government, too, must rescue Bahria Town’s hundreds of thousands of residents from uncertainty and mental anguish, and provide a clear plan that secures their lives and futures. Because the real issue is not the power game, but the ordinary citizen who simply wants peace in his home.
And so the ultimate question remains: can the state convince its citizens that it exists not only for the powerful, but also for the people? If not, history will once again deliver the same verdict: in Pakistan, the weak are always guilty, and the powerful are always forgiven.
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