Politicians, military officials, businessmen, property tycoons, and even criminals owned luxury real estate in Dubai, a report by a group of journalists of top media organizations revealed.
The report shared by Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) shows a collaborative investigative journalism, exposing ownership of lavish properties belonging to noted figures.
Pakistanis Properties in Dubai Leaks
| Name | Position |
| Asif Ali Zardari | President of Pakistan |
| Hussain Nawaz Sharif | Son of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif |
| Spouse of Mohsin Naqvi (Interior Minister) | NA |
| Sharjeel Memon | NA |
| Senator Faisal Vawda | Senator |
| MNAs (4 Members) | Members of the National Assembly |
| MPAs (around half a dozen Members) | Members of the Provincial Assembly |
| Names | Positions | Property Location(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Gen (r) Pervez Musharraf | Former military dictator | Dubai Marina, Burj Khalifa, Al Thanyah Fifth |
| Lt-Gen Shafaat Ullah Shah | Former military secretary | NA |
| Maj Gen (r) Ehtasham Zameer | Former DG-C during Gen (r) Musharraf’s era | Al Warsan First, Marina Arcade Marsa |
| Lt-Gen Afzal Muzaffar’s son | Son of Lt-Gen Afzal Muzaffar | NA |
| IGP Azad Jammu and Kashmir Dr Sohail Habib Tajik | Inspector General of Police (IGP) | Al Dafrah First, Al Thanyah Third |
| Arif Usmani | Former president of the National Bank of Pakistan | NA |
| Lt-Gen (r) Muhammad Akram | NA | Elite Residences 4 |
| Lt-Gen Alam Jan Mehsud | NA | Al Hamri Palm Jumeirah |
| Maj Gen (r) Ghazanfar Ali Khan | NA | S15 Building Al Warsan First |
| Major Gen (r) Raja Muhammad Arif Nazir | NA | Golf Promenade 2-A, Al Hebiah third |
| Air Vice Marshal (r) Saleem Tariq | NA | NA |
| Air Vice Marshal (r) Khalid Masood Rajput | NA | NA |
| Major Gen (r) Muhammad Farooq | NA | NA |
| Major Gen (r) Anis Bajwa’s spouse | NA | NA |
| Maj Gen (r) Najam-ul-Hassan Shah | NA | NA |
| Zahid Muzaffar | Former chairman of OGDCL | NA |
| Syed Anwar-ul Hassan Gillani | Chairman of the Pakistan Council for Science and Technology (PCST) | NA |
Top billionaires with the most properties in Dubai
| Names | Net Worth |
| Mukesh Ambani | $110.2 billion |
| M.A. Yusuff Ali & family | $7.8 billion |
| Shamsheer Vayalil | $3.5 billion |
| Suhail Bahwan | $1.9 billion |
| Andrei Molchanov & family | $1.3 billion |
| Vinod Adani | $22.2 billion |
| Changpeng Zhao | $33 billion |
| Saket Burman | $1.5 billion |
| Igor Makarov | $2.1 billion |
| Naguib Sawiris & family | $3.8 billion |
‘Dubai Unlocked’
Dubai Unlocked report shows top figures who owned properties in Dubai. The dataset excludes properties registered under corporate entities and those in commercial zones.
Dozens of properties worth more than $600 million were owned by nearly 20 billionaires and their family members.
UAE’s appeal to leaders and business persons are attributed to its lack of capital gains or income taxes, making it an attractive place to invest.
The city’s luxury properties have seen a significant increase in value, attracting wealthy investors. Additionally, Dubai’s lack of extradition treaties with many countries has made it attractive to individuals seeking to avoid legal issues in their home countries.
Exclusive neighborhoods in Dubai, such as Palm Jumeirah, Jumeirah Islands, and Emirates Hills, are popular among billionaires. These areas feature luxury homes, championship golf courses, and upscale amenities. The investigation also uncovered properties owned by individuals with controversial backgrounds, including those facing criminal charges in their home countries.
