Generals In Real-Estate Business—Wikileaks Missing Stories Released

President Zardari demanded Rs2 billion from real-estate tycoon Malik Riaz….

Malik made Gen. Kayani’s brother business-partner on Presidential threats…

ISI chief owns many commercial plazas in Rawalpindi and Islamabad…

By Habib R. Sulemani

The Army Chief calls the shots in Pakistan and it’s a universal truth. So whatever the former American Ambassador has reported from Islamabad (in the leaked Wikileaks cables), is actually an open secret in Pakistan.

Here are some stories which the WikiLeaks missed:

• The military establishment allowed the Taliban to takeover Swat region to deceive the American Administration and get funds for fight terrorism. When the Taliban were entering Swat region, a DSP of the regional police told the government to allow him, to stop advancement of the Taliban. The high-ups told him shut-up it was a strategy of the military establishment. Then the DSP was transferred to another region.

• A follower of Maududi was appointed as Commissioner of the region, who facilitated the Taliban’s takeover of Malakand Region and then the so-called military oppression against the Taliban started.

• Militant leader Maulana Sufi Muhammad, also a follower of Maududi, was given full security with a chauffeur-driven land-cruiser by the ISI so that he could terrorize the people to leave region. Later, the military media cell gave the faked news of the death of Sufi’s son and son-in-law (even now Sufi is said to be a valued guest of the ISI like Taliban spokesman Muslim Khan).

• When a straightforward Pashtun Major-General wanted to finish the reign of Taliban the tribal areas, he was transferred to downtown—but he refused, saying that until he finishes the enemies of Pakistan, he couldn’t leave the battleground. However, later, he was tactfully packed off—

• After becoming President of Pakistan, Asif Ali Zardari demanded Rs. 2 billion from Malik Riaz of Bahria Town. Without payment, the tycoon was told, he couldn’t continue his lucrative business! The tycoon refused. But when the Presidency threatened him to deposit the said amount in a given account, Malik Riaz suffered a heart attack but, fortunately, survived due to in-time treatment.

• After recovery, the first thing Malik Riaz did was to call the brother of Army Chief General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani—and offering him partnership in the huge real-estate business. (The tycoon has reportedly also given shares to the management of the National Press Club Islamabad to amalgamate the Media Town with his Bahria Town) After this strategy of the tycoon, President Zardari kept silent.

• Another thing which was talk of the journalistic community about two years back was that the former ISI chief Lt-Gen. Ahmad Shuja Pasha owns many commercial plazas in the twin-cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad. One of his commercial plazas is situated near the PIA office in Saddar area of Rawalpindi, where the Dawn Media Group had also its Bureau Office. A serving Major of the Pakistan Army had been assigned to collect rent from the tenants at the beginning of every month.

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