LONDON: The Pakistani real estate tycoon Malik Riaz Hussain has agreed to hand over 190 million pounds ($244 million) held in Britain to settle a British investigation into whether the money was from the proceeds of crime.
Hussain is one of Pakistan’s richest and most powerful businessmen and biggest private employers and is known for upmarket gated housing communities. He has been caught up in corruption investigations but also supports charitable causes.
Britain’s National Crime Agency (NCA) said it had agreed on a settlement in which Hussain would hand over property, 1 Hyde Park Place, valued at 50 million pounds, and cash frozen in British bank accounts.
The NCA had previously secured nine freezing orders covering 140 million pounds in the accounts on the grounds that the money may have been acquired illegally.
The agency said the assets would be passed to the government of Pakistan and the settlement with Hussain was “a civil matter, and does not represent a finding of guilt.”
Hussain quoted this line in a tweet and also tweeted the NCA statement.
“Some habituals are twisting the NCA report 180 degrees to throw mud at me,” he added.
The settlement rekindles hopes for Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan’s anti-corruption drive, which has so far failed to bring back the billions of dollars that his government says opposition politicians have stashed abroad.
Pakistani tycoon agrees to hand over $244 million to settle UK probe
Pakistani tycoon agrees to hand over $244 million to settle UK probe
- Malik Riaz is one of Pakistan’s richest and most powerful businessmen and biggest private employers
- The assets in settlement would be passed to the government of Pakistan
Gunmen kill four paramilitary troops in attack on security post in Pakistan’s southwest
- No group immediately claims responsibility for the assault in Balochistan’s Khuzdar district
- Local official says security forces have surrounded the area and a hunt is on for the assailants
QUETTA: Unidentified gunmen targeted a security check post and killed four members of the Levies paramilitary force in Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province, officials said on Saturday.
The attack targeted the Samand post located some 20 kilometers from Khuzdar city in wee hours of Saturday, according to Deputy Commissioner Yasir Iqbal Dashti. Four Levies men were killed as a result of an intense exchange of gunfire.
No group immediately claimed responsibility for the assault but suspicion is likely to fall on Baloch separatists who have intensified their attacks in the province over the last one year.
“The attackers managed to flee by taking advantage of the dark and the bodies of the slain troops were shifted to the District Headquarters Hospital Khuzdar,” Dashti told Arab News.
“Security forces have surrounded the area and a hunt for the attackers is underway.”
Balochistan, Pakistan’s most impoverished province, has been the site of a decades-old insurgency, where separatist militants often target security forces, police, foreigners and ethnic Punjabi commuters and workers, who they see as “outsiders,” by wresting control of highways and remote towns.
In Jan., dozens of fighters of the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) separatist group launched a brazen attack on Khuzdar’s Zehri town and seized control of its main market for hours. The militants had set government buildings ablaze and snatched Levies’ vehicles and weapons.
This month, gunmen killed three people, including two barbers from the eastern Punjab province, and set a police vehicle ablaze in Balochistan’s Lasbela district, officials said.
The separatists accuse Islamabad of exploiting the province’s natural resources, such as gold and copper, and accuse foreigners and people from other province of backing the Pakistani state. Successive Pakistani governments have denied the allegations and said they only worked for the uplift of the region and its people.
Pakistan PM reaffirms desire for peace in South Asia in talks with UK foreign secretary
- David Lammy is on first official visit to Islamabad amid tensions following India-Pakistan standoff
- Pakistan and UK express satisfaction over bilateral economic cooperation, development partnership
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has reaffirmed his desire for peace in South Asia despite a recent military standoff with India, Sharif’s office said on Saturday, following his meeting with British Foreign Secretary David Lammy.
The meeting between Lammy and PM Sharif took place in Islamabad during the UK foreign secretary’s first official visit to Pakistan, just days after one of the most serious military confrontations between the South Asian nuclear-armed rivals in decades.
Fighting erupted last week when India launched strikes on what it said were “terrorist camps” in Pakistan following a deadly April attack in Indian-administered Kashmir that killed 26 people. New Delhi accused Islamabad of backing the militants behind the assault, an allegation Pakistan denies.
Four days of drone, missile and artillery exchanges followed, killing around 70 people, including dozens of civilians, on both sides of the border. The conflict raised fears of a broader war before a ceasefire was announced by US President Donald Trump.
“While reaffirming Pakistan’s firm commitment to upholding the ceasefire understanding, the Prime Minister stressed that Pakistan had exercised great patience and restraint in the face of India’s baseless accusations and unprovoked aggression,” Sharif office said, after his talks with Lammy.
“He reiterated that in exercise of the right to self-defense, Pakistan’s response was measured, proportionate and targeted. He reaffirmed Pakistan’s strong desire for peace in South Asia, while defending its sovereignty and territorial integrity at all costs.”
Last week’s hostilities between Pakistan and India had raised alarm among world powers about a full-blown war in South Asia. Britain was among several countries that called for restraint, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer saying at the time that the UK was “urgently engaging” with both sides.
“The UK Foreign Secretary congratulated the Prime Minister on the ceasefire understanding and said the UK would continue to play a constructive role for promotion of peace and stability in the region,” Sharif’s office said.
During the meeting, Sharif expressed his satisfaction at the positive trajectory of Pakistan-UK ties and reiterated his desire to enhance bilateral cooperation across all spheres, according to his office. He conveyed his warm greetings to His Majesty King Charles III as well as to PM Starmer.
On Friday, Lammy also met Pakistani deputy prime minister and foreign minister, Ishaq Dar, and held detailed discussions on recent developments in South Asia, particularly the situation after the ceasefire understanding between Pakistan and India, Pakistan’s foreign ministry said.
“Dar briefed the UK Foreign Secretary on India’s unprovoked and belligerent actions, which constituted a violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty, international law, the UN Charter, and established norms of interstate relations,” it said.
“He underlined that Pakistan exercised its right to self-defense under Article 51 of the UN Charter, and that Pakistan’s response remained limited, precise, and proportionate, with utmost care taken to avoid civilian casualties.”
Dar thanked the UK for its constructive engagement in de-escalation during the conflict.
Lammy’s visit, the foreign ministry said, underscored the “robust and multifaceted partnership” between the two nations and their commitment to regional and international peace.
Elephants undergoing medical treatment in Karachi show signs of recovery — wildlife expert
- Safari Park elephants Madhubala and Malika were diagnosed with tuberculosis earlier this month
- Authorities brought in a Sri Lankan wildlife health specialist to oversee the elephants’ treatment
KARACHI: Medical experts treating two elephants diagnosed with tuberculosis at Karachi’s Safari Park said on Friday the animals were responding well to treatment and remained under constant observation as part of a long-term recovery plan.
The update was shared at a news briefing by Dr. Budhika Bhandara, a wildlife health specialist from Sri Lanka, who was on a 17-day visit in Karachi to supervise the treatment of elephants Madhubala and Malika.
The two elephants were diagnosed with TB earlier this month, prompting the park to launch an intensive treatment program under international protocols.
“We are treating them very well,” Dr. Bhandara told reporters. “The elephants are showing clinical signs, but they are not weak. We have started with a two-month initial phase of daily doses, followed by a continuation phase as per the standard operating procedures.”
Under the treatment plan, the elephants will receive continuous medication and monitoring for ten months after the initial phase.
The animals are being kept under round-the-clock supervision, and park officials have restricted access to the enclosure for one year to minimize stress and prevent any risk of disease transmission.
Dr. Bhandara, who has previously treated 15 elephants for TB, expressed optimism that Madhubala and Malika would recover.
He noted that both elephants are closely monitored and undergo health evaluations every two months, with full medical screenings scheduled every six months. Their most recent dose was administered 13 days ago.
Visitors to the Safari Park are currently only allowed to view the elephants from designated buses or a safe distance, as part of efforts to ensure a stress-free environment during their recovery.
The cautious approach follows years of concern raised by international animal welfare organizations over the treatment of elephants in Karachi.
In 2021, the global group Four Paws assessed the city’s African elephants and called for urgent medical care, improved nutrition and enriched environments to support their wellbeing.
The issue gained further attention after the deaths of two elephants — Noor Jehan in 2023 at the Karachi Zoo and Sonia in late 2024 — both of which highlighted systemic gaps in animal care.
Since then, local authorities have taken steps to improve conditions, including the formation of a technical committee and increased collaboration with foreign veterinary experts.
PM Sharif invites India to open dialogue, says past wars failed to resolve key issues
- The prime minister says Pakistan and India are neighbors and must choose between being peaceful or unruly
- He thanks Donald Trump, Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries for helping de-escalate the recent conflict
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday called for renewed dialogue with India, saying the two nuclear-armed neighbors had fought three wars since independence without resolving their disputes while emphasizing the need to engage in talks to address outstanding issues.
Sharif made these remarks during a ceremony in Islamabad commemorating the “Day of Gratitude,” held to honor Pakistan’s military response to Indian strikes inside its territory last week. The event was attended by the chiefs of the armed forces, senior officials and dignitaries. The event featured a flypast and national songs.
The recent India-Pakistan standoff was triggered by an attack in Pahalgam, a tourist hotspot in Indian-administered Kashmir, which resulted in the deaths of 26 people. India accused Pakistan of involvement, an allegation Islamabad denied while seeking an impartial international probe. The situation escalated into missile and drone exchanges before a ceasefire was announced on May 10.
“Whether we like it or not, we are there forever as neighbors,” the prime minister said, referring to India and Pakistan. “It’s up to us whether we want to be unruly neighbors or peaceful ones.”
“We have fought three wars that solved nothing,” he continued. “Rather, they brought more poverty, unemployment and other problems on both sides. So the lesson is that we have to sit down at the table like peaceful neighbors and settle our outstanding issues, including Jammu and Kashmir.”
Sharif reiterated that Pakistan had no involvement in the Pahalgam incident and expressed gratitude to countries that assisted in de-escalating the conflict.
“I’m extremely grateful to all those friendly countries who have been very helpful in promoting peace and ceasefire in this part of the world... particularly Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Iran, Türkiye, China and others,” he added.
Sharif extended special thanks to US President Donald Trump for his role in mediating the ceasefire.
“Above all, I would like to mention and thank President Trump for his very brave leadership and his vision that peace must be restored in South Asia sooner rather than later,” he said. “His path-breaking and strategic leadership... averted a very lethal looming war in this part of the world,” he said.
The prime minister emphasized the importance of resolving key issues to ensure lasting peace in the region.
“Without resolving these issues, I don’t think we will have peace in this part of the world on a long-term basis,” he said. “If we want permanent peace, then we need permanent solutions of Jammu and Kashmir and water distribution.”
Pakistan rejects Indian media reports of radiation leak, warns against regional arms buildup
- Foreign office says India is following ‘hegemonic policy’ by procuring ‘advanced weaponry’
- It says Pakistan is mindful of the threat and remains ready to deal with any military challenge
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s foreign office on Friday dismissed Indian media reports alleging radiation leaks during last week’s conflict between the two nuclear-armed neighbors as “preposterous,” while voicing concern over India’s acquisition of advanced weaponry, calling it a threat to regional stability.
The remarks came amid heightened tensions following a brief but intense military exchange that included missile and drone strikes.
Some Indian media outlets speculated that Pakistani nuclear facilities were compromised during the hostilities, leading to potential radiation leaks.
“What I can say about radiation leakage in Pakistan is that these reports are absurd and preposterous,” foreign office spokesperson Ambassador Shafqat Ali Khan said during his weekly news briefing. “This is part of disinformation and fake news peddled by Indian media, which has distinguished itself recently with blatant lies and fabrication.”
“As a responsible nuclear weapon state,” he added, “Pakistan categorically rejects this irresponsible reporting with the contempt it deserves. India will be well advised to check such manufactured falsehoods and stop the fall of its media to new low.”
Some recent reports have also quoted the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) as saying “no radiation leak or release from any nuclear facility in Pakistan” had occurred, dismissing the Indian media claims as unfounded.
Ambassador Khan also criticized India’s military posture during the news briefing, saying New Delhi’s ambitions were destabilizing the region.
“India is pursuing aggressive, or rather hegemonic policy in the region, and its defense budget reflects that,” he said. “We remain concerned about the acquisition and procurement of advanced weaponry by India which creates security imbalance in the region.”
“At the same time, we remain mindful of the threat,” he added. “We are prepared and we are ready, and our forces remain ready to deal with the challenges.”
The recent India-Pakistan standoff, which lasted several days, saw both nations engage in conventional military operations, including missile and drone strikes.
A ceasefire was brokered and announced on May 10, though the potential for escalation between the two nuclear-armed nations persists.
