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The richy
rich ones of poorly poor nation
(Thursday, 15 May,
2008)
By our Special Correspondent
Pakistan
is considered to be one of the badly poverty-hit nations in the world.
Though the successive leaders have been making claims of enhancing
country's economy and changing the lives of the poor, yet it seems that
the richy rich have only been focusing on enhancing their personal
accounts and assets while claiming to be the champions of anti-poverty
campaigns.
The Daily Mail, with the help of authentic sources, has prepared a data
of just afew Pakistanis of important profiles and are, otherwise,
supposed to be the custodians of the rights of the poor masses. Our aim
behind publishing this list is not to tarnish anyone's image but to
highlight the other side of the coin as well and that is that all the
Pakistanis are not so poor, many are as rich as ony richy rich from any
part of the world.
The list excludes many names that have previously qualified and all of
Pakistan's most prominent feudal lords who would definitely make it to
the top 10, accept the few land owners which have declared their assets
and workforce and registered with the authorities concerned. In order to
promote the new and 'unknown' Pakistani magnates we have excluded in
previous entities.
1 - Mian Muhammad Mansha
Ranking:
1 Worth: £1.25b ($2.5billion)Industry: Businessman
Mansha has around 40 companies onboard. Mansha, who owns the MCB Bank
(earlier known as Muslim Commercial Bank) is also setting up a $ 17m
paper mill. He is one of the richest Pakistanis around. Nishat Group was
country's 15th richest family in 1970, 6th in 1990 and Number 1 in 1997.
Mansha is on the board of nearly 50 companies. He is deemed to have made
investments in many bourses, currency and metal exchanges both within
and outside Pakistan. He could have bought the United Bank too, but then
who doesn't have adversaries; Nishat Group comprises of textiles,
cement, leasing, insurance and management companies. If Mansha was
bitten by Bhutto's nationalization stint of 1970, his friends think he
was compensated by Nawaz Sharif's denationalization programme to a very
good effect. There is no stopping Mansha and he is still on the move.
Nishat Group's assets are $4.4Billion. He is sometimes even regarded as
the richest Pakistani around by his friends claiming he does not 'show
it off'.
2 - Asif Ali Zardari
Ranking: 2 Worth: £900m ($1.8billion) Industry: Politics
Asif Zardari, now known as Nelson Mandela of Pakistan is currently
ranking at the coveted Number 2 position. Though he remained in prison
for about a decade, yet he managed to establish enough assets to lead a
successful and comfortable life, his assets holding amount into hundreds
of millions of dollars easily, having 8 prime properties in the UK and
in the US.
3 - Sir Anwar Pervaiz
Ranking:
3 Worth: £750m ($1.5billion) Industry: Businessman
Chairman of Bestway Group. The Bestway Group started in 1976 with it's
first Bestway Cash & Carry Warehouse opened in London. Today we have in
total around 50 Cash and Carry's including their recent takeover of
rival group, Batleys for around £100m. Bestway Group ventured into
Pakistan's huge cement business in 1995 and set up cement manufacturing
plant in Pakistan at a cost of $120 million.
Taking Advantage of Pakistan's growing economy, they also acquired a
25.5% stake in United Bank Limited in 2002. Today, the Bestway Group has
interests in Cash & Carry wholesale, property investments, retail
outlets, milling of rice, lentils, pulses, cement production and more
recently into banking. The group's total sales amounted to in excess of
£ 2 billion. The group provides direct employment to thousands in the UK
and Pakistan. They have many interests in Pakistan too. Sir Anwar
Pervaiz and his partners' sheer hard work has bought them to outstanding
international levels which definitely makes him an ideal role model for
many young Pakistanis today. He still is on the move!
4 - Nawaz Sharif & Shahbaz Sharif
Ranking: 4 Worth: £700m ($1.4billion) Industry: Politics/Businessman
Mr. Sharif businessman-turned-politician; the former Prime Minister of
Pakistan. He was ousted in a military coup in 1999 and was forced to
forfeit $9million and some of his assets including his $5m Mansion in
Raiwind, near Lahore. Before becoming PM he was a major shareholder
along with his brother and cousins of Ittefaq Group, having assets well
in excess of £50m in the 90s. However, he got richer as he continued to
progress as a politician, during his exile period in Saudi Arabia. It is
said that he established a new huge business empire in various sectors.
5 - Saddaruddin Hashwani
Ranking:
5 Worth: £550m ($1.1billion) Industry: Businessman
Saddaruddin Hashwani is Chairman of the prestigious HashooGroup. Hashoo
Group is known for it’s dominance in Pakistan’s hotel industry, though
Hashwanis have huge strength in real estate business too. Hashwanis are
involved in trading of cotton, grain and steel and till the
nationalization of cotton export in 1974, they were widely being dubbed
as the Cotton Kings of Pakistan. Today, this group has excelled in
export of rice, wheat, cotton and barley. It owns textile units, besides
having invested billions in mines, minerals, hotels, insurance,
batteries, tobacco, residential properties, construction, engineering
and Information Technology. In 1984, Hashwani defeated the Lakhanis in
the bid for Premier Tobacco but was arrested along with his brother
Akbar in 1986 for allegedly evading customs duty on cigarettes.
Sadarduddin’s brother Akbar and the children of another late brother
Hassan Ali Hashwani together manage around 45 companies. Akbar runs the
second Hashwani Group. He is one of the most well-known magnates in
Pakistan who is a regular invitee at the Diplomatic Enclave. The list of
local and international bigwigs known personally to Hashwani is
unending.
6 - Nasir Schon
Ranking: 6 (tied at 6) Worth: £500m ($1billion) Industry: Businessman
Nasir Schon is a prominent business leader of Pakistan and the CEO of
Schon Group. Nasir Schon is the son of Captain Ather Schon Hussain, an
ex-pilot of PIA. The Schon family is one of the few striving Muhajir
Urdu business families in Pakistan. Starting off in Singapore in 1982,
the peek of Schon group was in 1995 when they owned National Fibres,
Schon Bank, Schon Textiles and Pak-China Fertilizers. Famous for the
trend-setting roundabout; Schon Circle, Nasir Schon is also known to be
one of the first people to have a Rolls-Royce in Pakistan. Directors of
Schon group flew to Dubai in 1997 in exile after the dismissal of
ex-Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. The directors of Schon Group were
known to have close contacts with the husband of former Prime Minister;
Asif Zardari. Many assets of the Schon Group were auctioned by the Nawaz
Sharif government. Schon Group is the only group in Pakistan who has
paid the government over 3 billion rupees ($65m) in order to return from
exile. Living in Dubai gave Nasir Schon an opportunity to start
businesses there. Currently working on an $830 million Real Estate
project known as Dubai Lagoon, Schon Group is also fighting to get back
the assets they once lost. Currently, the Schon Group operates a pilot
training center in Pakistan known as Schon Air.
7 - Abdul Razzaq Yakoub
Ranking: 6 (tied at 6) Worth: £500m ($1billion) Industry: Businessman
Mr Yakoub is a prominent Pakistani expatriate businessman based in
Dubai. He is the president of ARY Group ($1.5billion turnover) and World
Memon Organization (WMO). He is one of Pakistan’s biggest media barons
controlling around 7 channels. Besides this, he has huge property
holdings in Karachi, Islamabad and Dubai amounting to over $200m. He is
major in the gold market also having around 20 outlets in Asia. He has
also been involved in paying Asif Zardari $5m in 1990’s for allowing him
to import/export gold which he denies and claims, is government’s
forgeries.
8 - Rafiq Habib & Rasheed Habib
Ranking: 7 Worth: £450m ($900) Industry: Businessman
Legend has it that the Goddess of Wealth has been in love with the
seasoned Habibs more than anybody else in Pakistan. Most pundits believe
that Habibs own at least 100 companies throughout the world, but these
content mega-tycoons never boast off, something which has made it uphill
for most to predict about their financial standing. This industrial
group was founded by Seth Habib Mitha, born in 1878 to Esmail Ali-a
factory owner in Bombay. The financial strength of the Habibs can be
gauged from the fact that Muhammad Ali Habib gave a cheque of Rs 80
million to Quaid-e-Azam in 1948 at a time when Pakistan government was
penniless owing to delay in transfer of Pakistan’s share of Rs. 750
million by the Reserve Bank of India. They had offices in Europe in
1912. They incorporated the Habib Bank in 1941. They own the Habib Bank
A.G Zurich, Bank Al-Habib, Indus Motors assembling Corolla cars and many
dozens of units in sectors such as jute, paper sack, minerals, steel,
tiles, synthetic sugar, glass, construction, concrete, farm autos,
banking, oil, computers, music, paper, packages, leasing and capital
management. Habibs today are headed by Rafiq Habib and Rashid Habib in
two distinct groups. What makes them extremely influential players of
all times is the fact that for dozens of top businessmen today, Habibs
were a myth once.
9 - Tariq Saigol & Nasim Saigol
Ranking: 8 Worth: £425m ($850) Industry: Businessman
Hailing from Jhelum, the pioneer of the Saigol dynasty in 1890 was Amin
Saigol who established a shoe shop that eventually transformed into
Kohinoor Rubber Works. And then times saw them shining literally like
the Kohinoor until their progress was halted by nationalization in which
they lost two-thirds of their wealth. Saigols got trifurcated in 1976
and 15 descendents of Amin Saigols, four sons got a share. The name of
the Saigols has been used in this part of the world as similes
describing quantum of wealth. Yousaf Saigol, along with his brothers
Sayeed Saigol, Bashir Saigol and Gul Saigol, then nourished an excellent
crop. In 1948, Saigols established the Kohinoor Textile Mills with a
cost of Rs 8 million and this group happens to be the first to open an
LC with the State Bank of Pakistan. They bought the United Bank in 1959
and then witnessed five of their units getting nationalized. They lived
in Saudi Arabia during the Bhutto regime. Today, cousins Tariq and Nasim
are holding the family’s fort together and have risen to unprecedented
heights in individual capacities. NAB did haunt Nasim but Tariq spent
more time either accepting or refusing prized slots everywhere. Tariq is
one of the finest business brains around.
10 - Dewan Yousaf Farooqui
Ranking: 9 (tied at 9) Worth: £400m ($800) Industry: Businessman
Mr. Farooqui; the mentor of this group has been the Sindh Minister for
Local Bodies, Industries, Labour, Transport, Mines & Minerals. Dewan
Mushtaq Group is one of the Pakistan’s largest industrial conglomerates
in sectors like polyester acrylic fiber, manufacturing and automotives.
Six of their companies are listed at the Karachi Stock Exchange and one
at the Luxembourg bourse. Dewan Farooqui Motors assembles around 10,000
cars annually under technical license agreement with Hyundai and Kia
Motors of Korea. The Dewan Salman Fiber is the pride of this empire as
it ranks 11th in the world in total production capacity. The group owns
three textile units, a motorcycle manufacturing concern and the largest
sugar unit in the country. Dewans also have business interests in India.
They possess dozens of millions of shares of Saudi Cement and Pak Land
Cement. They also have the franchise license for BMW in Pakistan and now
Rolls Royce showrooms.
11 - Sultan Ali Lakhani
Ranking: 9 (tied at 9) Worth: £400m ($800) Industry: Businessman
The Lakhanis are currently having a hard time at the hands of NAB.
Sultan Lakhani and his three brothers run this prestigious group and the
chain of McDonald’s restaurants in Pakistan. NAB has alleged the
Lakhanis of having created phony companies through worthless directors
and raised massive loans from various banks and financial institutions.
Sultan is currently abroad after having served a jail term with younger
sibling Amin, though the latter was released much earlier, NAB had
reportedly demanded Rs 7 billion from Lakhanis, but later agreed they
pay only Rs.1.5 billion over a 10-year period. Lakhanis, like their
arch-rivals Hashwanis, are the most well-known of all Ismaeli tycoons.
Their stakes range from media, tobacco, paper, chemicals and surgical
equipment to cotton, packaging, insurance, detergents and other
house-hold items, many of which are joint ventures with leading
international conglomerates. Though Lakhanis are in turbulent waters
currently, the success that greeted them during the last 25 years
especially has been tremendous. They have rifts with large business
empires despite being known fur their genteel nature. Whether it is any
government in Sindh or at the Federal level, Lakhanis have had trusted
friends everywhere, though the present era has proved a painful
exception.
12 - Malik Riaz Hussain Pakistan
Ranking: 9 (tied at 9) Worth: £400m ($800) Industry: Businessman
Malik Riaz Hussain heads the massive project which is currently
developing state-of-the-art schemes in Lahore, Karachi and Rawalpindi/Islamabad.
Emerging out of the blue, this developer has reportedly developed
tremendous connections where it matters in Pakistan-One of the few
reasons why his constructed projects get completed in time without
hindrance. Whether he has gifted bungalows free of cost of country’s
bigwigs or offered them at highly concessional rates, the reality on the
ground is that Malik has managed to mesmerize most through his generous
wallet. His land-holdings both within and outside Pakistan amounts to
nearly a billion dollar. He is the man behind the Bahria Town.
Irrespective of who is in power; he continues to build house after
house-swelling his wealth. He is also the first man to drive a Bentley
car on Pakistani soil.
13 - Sheikh Abid Hussain alias Seth Abid
Ranking: 10 Worth: £390m ($780) Industry: Businessman
Sheikh Abid Hussain alias Seth Abid. He is one of the most resourceful
developers/builders in the country owning vast stretches of land in
major cities. On this land worth many billion of rupees, Seth has
constructed residential schemes under the brand name of “Green Fort.”
Seth came into this business after decades of notoriety as being one of
the spearheads in cross-border smuggling. About three dozen of Seth’s
very close relatives, friends and nephews are members of country’s
bourses and for many years now, the Seth Abid group assumes the role of
king-makers during the annual polls of these stock exchanges. He is a
leading investor in stocks, metals and currency but what gives him
immense pleasure is his philanthropic institution Hamza Foundation that
he sponsors for the welfare of deaf and dumb children. Pakistan has not
had a single ruler, politician or bureaucrat who doesn’t know the Seth
who is more of a myth for most. The Seth, throughout his life, has
avoided publicity-a fact known to most journalists.
14 - Mian Mohammed Latif
Ranking:11 Worth: £350m ($700) Industry: Businessman
Chenab Group Mian Muhammad Latif supervises this group along with his
brother Mian Ashfaque- a known politician. Founded in 1975, Chenab
Limited set up its first fashion outlet “Chen One.” Chen One has seven
outlets throughout Pakistan. After establishing its retail chain stores
in various cities of Saudi Arabia, the group is now planning to
establish its new retail chains in Bahrain, UA.E, Qatar, Kuwait and
Central Asian Republics. While Chenab Group is an eight-time Export
Trophy winner, its Chief Mian Latif has won the ‘Businessman of the Year
award on four different occasions from various business bodies. Chenab
is principally engaged in manufacture and distribution of clothing,
furniture goods, including non-iron suit, quilt cover and curtains etc.
Chenab processes 50 million square metres fabric weaving and 75 million
square metres fabric dyeing every year and has established a global
sales network spanning across five continents. Chenab is licensed to the
Swedish Texcote Technology in the manufacturing and sale of textile
materials, garments and textile house-hold goods. The group’s textile
products have been awarded the Oekotex 100 accreditation.
15 - Haji Abdul Ghafoor & Haji Bashir Ahmed
Ranking: 12 Worth: £330m ($660) Industry: Businessman
Sitara Group Started its activity with textile weaving as early as 1956,
under brothers Haji Abdul Ghafoor and Haji Bashir Ahmed. It is now its
textile cloth finishing and processing, textile spinning, chlor-alkali
sector and in power generation. The units owned by this establishment
include Sitara Chemicals, Sitara Chemicals (Textile Division 1) and
Sitara Chemicals (Textile Division 11), Sitara Textiles, Sitara Energy
and Yasir Spinning. The charities being managed under the aegis of
Sitara group are Aziz Fatima Hospital, Ghafoor Bashir Children Hospital
and Aziz Fatima Girls School. Sitara’s name with the industrial City of
Faisalabad is synonymous. They are the decades-old veterans in business,
who have excelled in leaps and bounds. At their units, the owners of
Sitara use technology imported from Japan, UK and Germany and are export
leaders in bedding and fabric collection to South America, USA, Canada,
New Zealand and Europe. Their textile divisions together operate at
strength of 33,984 spindles. The Sitara (group, to a common man, is more
famous for its lawn brands like Sitara Sapna and Mughal-e-Azam. The men
at helm of affairs in Sitara hardly believe in setting up dozens of
units, of which they are otherwise very much capable of.
16 - Sheikhani Family Pakistan
Ranking: 13 Worth: £300m ($600) Industry: Businessman
They are one of the most reputed land developers in the country. The
Sheikhani, although not a very big industrial establishment by any
means, are led by Abu Bakar Sheikhani. The Sheikhanis are famous for
their construction and land development-related errands. Abu Bakar is
deemed to be one of the largest investors in real estate trade at Gwadar
Port. He has all the right connections that are required to be in such
business. Despite being well known to the national political circles,
the man in street knew more of him during March/April 1991 when he
surfaced as the single largest contributor to then Premier Nawaz
Sharif’s Debt Retirement Fund with a donation of $ 8million. Today, his
adversaries dub him a land mafia man, alleging him for selling his
Gwadar land at only $ 4000 per acre only to senior Army officials while
the same was being sold at $ 2,50,000 per acre to ordinary investors.
But that is the way Sheikhani runs his vast land/construction empire.
Accusations don’t disturb Sheikhani, who according to many large
developers is a man who has managed to create tremendous impression in
land business. The rumours of his landing in any Pakistani City for land
acquisition purposes, helps the price of real estate surge unprecedented
overnight
17 - Razzaq Dawood
Ranking: 14 (tied at 14) Worth: £250m ($500) Industry: Businessman
Razzaq presently heads one of Pakistan’s biggest construction and
engineering conglomerate know as Dawood group/Descen group. With a
roaster of impressive clients. His group has won many contracts in
Dubai, Saudi Arabia and Iraq and employ’s over 1,000 people directly.
His name was more prominent among the top 22 richest families in 1970
until the Bhutto nationalization which then made him set up abroad, he
returned to Pakistan in the early 90’s and started from scratch and
today makes it in the top easily. The group also has investment of $300m
in Bangladesh in investments in fertilizer, energy and infrastructure
and development sectors.
18 - Byram Dinshawji Avari Pakistan
Ranking: 14 (tied at 14) Worth: £250m ($500) Industry: Businessman
Byram Dinshawji Avari is a prominent Pakistani Parsi tycoon in Karachi,
Sindh, Pakistan. Together with his sons Dinshaw and Xerxes and their
direct families, he owns and operates the Avari Group of companies, of
which he is the chairman. Hotel management is the Avari Group’s core
business. In Pakistan, the group owns and operates Avari Hotels which
includes 5-star deluxe hotel in Lahore, the 5-star Avari Towers and the
seafront Beach Luxury Hotel in Karachi. The group is also actively
pursuing opportunities for owning and/or managing 3 and 4-star
properties elsewhere in Pakistan. The Avari Group is the first Pakistani
company to have obtained international hotel management contracts: they
operate the 200-room 4-star hotel in Dubai in United Arab Emirates and
manage the 200-room Ramada Inn in Toronto at Pearson Airport in Canada.
19 - Rafiq Rangoonwala Pakistan
Ranking: 15 (tied at 14) Worth: £240m ($480) Industry: Businessman
Mr. Rafiq Rangoonwala, Chief Executive Officer Cupola Group of
Companies, was born in Karachi, did BA (Hons.) from University of
Karachi, went to United States of America in 1979, and did Executive
Development Course from Whittemore School of Business, University of New
Hampshire along with several management courses from U.K, U.S, Canada,
Australia and Singapore. In 1980, he started his career in Fast Food
restaurants from KFC in Houston. Since then he has managed several other
brands alongside KFC like Pizza Hut, Harry Ramsden’s, TGI Fridays, Pizza
Express etc. e joined Artal Restaurants International as CEO in October
1999 and is currently heading Cupola Group of Companies who has
franchise rights in Pakistan for KFC, Indulge, Freshens and Casa. The
associate Investment Company of Cupola is AL ABRAJ, with approximately
US $400 million under management.
20 - Shimmy Querishi
Ranking: 15 (tied at 15) Worth: £240m ($480) Industry: Businessman
A jet-setting international businessman who flys by jet and swings a
polo mallet with some of the world’s top players, Qureshi seems a model
of successful enterprise. Shimmys business interests are mainly
property, which with the boom and his holidings has took his wealth to a
new level. Although people may remember him for his stunt in the early
90’s with George Lindemann, the billionaire founder of Cellular One,
when Lindemann took him to court claiming he has cheated them in to a
deal to buy their home on Hurlingham Drive in Wellington for $3.5
million. A year before the Lindemanns filed their suit, Qureshi bartered
with another wealthy family - the al-Thanis, who rule the Arab country
of Qatar - to buy Gulf Union Bank in the Cayman Islands.
In May 1997, the al-Thanis agreed to sell Gulf Union to International
Business Holdings - a Cayman Islands company owned by Qureshi - for $4.5
million, according to court records.
While Cayman Islands officials were reviewing the deal, Qureshi named an
associate, Kazmi, to run Gulf Union and a subsidiary, First Cayman Bank.
Within three months, Kazmi, acting at Qureshi’s direction, had shunted
more than $5 million from First Cayman into his own account and into
accounts held by Qureshi and the al-Thanis. Shimmy Qureshi also fully
manages all the properties in the USA owned by Asif Zardari.
21 - Faruque Khan Pakistan
Ranking:15 (tied at 15) Worth: £240m ($480) Industry: Businessman
The late Khan Bahadur Ghulam Faruque Khan (1899-1992) was a politician
and industrialist of Pakistan. He belonged to the village Shaidu in
Nowshera District, Nowshera is the home of the famous Pashtun Tribe the
Khattaks of the NWFP Province in Pakistan. Because of his contribution
to Pakistan’s Industrial development he is sometimes described as “The
Goliath who Industrialized Pakistan., today his family own Cherat Cement
Company Ltd. Cherat Papersack Ltd. Cherat Electric Ltd. Mirpurkhas Sugar
Mills Ltd. Faruque (pvt) Ltd Greaves Air-Conditioning(pvt) Ltd Greaves
Engineering Services(pvt) Ltd Unicol Ltd.- A JV Company Madian Hydro
Power Ltd. - A JV Company Zensoft (pvt) Ltd and prime properties around
Pakistan
22 - Shahid Luqman
Ranking: 16 (tied at 16) Worth: £230m ($460) Industry: Businessman
Shahid Luqman, born in Gujrat, is a financier from Manchester and has
founded ‘Pearl Holdings’ for the property finance market He is a
prominent property developer in the UK and in Pakistan is projects run
into multi-million pounds. He also runs a loan facility. Although in the
past it has been noticed of him filling bankruptcy and pocketing huge
unpaid loans.
23 - Mukhtar Ahmed
Ranking: 16 (tied at 16) Worth: £230m ($460) Industry: Businessman
Late Haji Sheikh Mohammad Ibrahim, founder of the Ibrahim Group, settled
in Faisalabad after partition of India in 1947 and re-established his
ancestral business of cloth trading by the name of “Ibrahim Agencies”.
What is known in business today as Ibrahim Group with diversified
business interests from Spinning to PSF, Financial Institutions to
Banking and Energy, started off as a mere cloth trading agency just half
a century ago. Recently Mr Ahmed bought a stake in the Allied Bank at
$300m.
24 - Aqeel Karim Dhedi
Ranking: 16 (tied at 16) Worth: £230m ($460) Industry: Businessman
Starting from interests in real estate and stock-broking in the year
1947, the late Haji Abdul Karim Dhedhi (may he rest in peace) laid the
foundation of what today is the AKD group of companies, one of the
largest domestic business enterprises in Pakistan with a combined net
worth of over US$ 1 billion, of which Mr Karim share is at $400m. Mr.
Aqeel Karim Dhedhi, son of (late) Haji Abdul Karim Dhedhi, is the
Chairman of the AKD Group. He has built the AKD Group as a leading and
vibrant set of business enterprises operating in key sectors of
Pakistan’s economy, ranging from stocks and shares, media, textile, real
estate and Oil and Gas exlporation. Yet AKD is still on the move!
25 - Syed Family
Ranking: 17 (tied at 17) Worth: £220m ($440) Industry: Businessman
Listed on all three stock exchanges in Pakistan, Packages Limited has
maintained a long-time credit rating of AA. The joint ventures and
business alliances with some of the world’s biggest names reflect our
forward-looking strategy of continuously improving customer value
through improvements in productivity. The group also acquired a good
number of Coca Cola plants in Pakistan. Its famous brands include Nestle
Milk Pak, Treet, Mitchells and Tri Pack Films. It has stakes in the
textile, dairy, agriculture and rice sectors too. The group’s
contributions towards the cause of an independent Pakistan are
unprecedented are the only packaging facility in Pakistan offering a
complete range of packaging solutions including offset printed cartons,
shipping containers and flexible packaging materials to individuals and
businesses world-wide. They employ over 4000 people.
26 - Saif Family Pakistan
Ranking: 17 (tied at 17) Worth: £220m ($440) Industry: Businessman
Is owned and operated by the sons of famous NWFP lady politician Begum
Kalsum Saifullah. Her eldest son Javid Saifullah heads this very
powerful business group. Javid obtained his Master degree in Business
Administration from the University of Pittsburgh, USA in 1973, followed
by diversified experience of over 30 years in textiles,
telecommunication, cement and Information Technology. He also remained
the Chairman of All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) for two
years and NWFP for seven years. He has also been the member Task Force
IT & Telecommunication Advisory Board, Ministry of Science and
Technology, Member of Task Force (Liberalization & Privatization of
Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited), Ministry of Science &
Technology) Javed Saifullah Khan is looking after the group businesses
for the past 20 years. Saifullahs are in power always, in one form or
the other. Javaid’s brothers Anwar Saifullah Khan (Former Federal
Minister), Salim Saifullah Khan (king-maker in NWFP polities) and Osman
Saifullah (another APTMA & wizard) have very close family ties with a
lot of key politicians in the country, besides being related directly or
indirectly through marriages to the families of a few leading and famous
Army Generals who ruled Pakistan.
27 - Jehangir Elahi Pakistan
Ranking: 18 (tied at 18) Worth: £200m ($400) Industry: Businessman
Jehangir Elahi is brother in law of Mian Mohammad Mansha and is ranked
among the tycoons in Pakistan. He has launched several projects as joint
ventures with Mian Mohammad Mansha, as for example Genertech, one of the
earliest private sector power plants conceived in Pakistan.
Independently his group has four companies listed on the stock exchange.
28 - Sherazi Family Pakistan
Ranking: 18 (tied at 18) Worth: £200m ($400) Industry: Businessman
This group was founded by Yousaf Sherazi, a former Income Tax official
and journalist in 1962 with a capital of Rs 03 million only. The first
company set by the Atlas Group was Sherazi Investments (Pvt) Limited and
since then, there is no looking back. The East Pakistan tragedy,
however, nearly crippled Sherazi but he never lost hope and went out
forming numerous joint ventures with leading Japanese concerns like
Honda. Atlas-Honda today is a name to reckon with in country’s
engineering sector and associated with this just one name are hundreds
of vendors. He holds stakes in insurance, financial services,
information technology, leasing, warehouses, office equipment, motor
cars and motorcycle-assembling units, besides running a renowned firm
that manufactures batteries. Sherazi owns the Atlas Investment Bank too.
The Federal Budget 2004-05 is perhaps the only budget in country’s
history that has hit the very influential car manufacturers on the head,
otherwise people like Yousaf Sherazi have always managed to dictate
terms where it matters. The Atlas Group owns no less than seven
companies quoted on the stock exchanges of Pakistan. The group’s assets
are believed to have touched the hundreds of millions dollars mark and
so have the sales.
29 - Noon family Pakistan
Ranking: 19 Worth: £190m ($380m) Industry: Businessman
Noon family comes from Tiwana family from Mitha Tiwana. The Tiwana
family lives in an old historical village in Khushab district. The
Tiwana caste is a very popular landholding and influential political
caste in the Khushab district. The Noon Family own 27 villages in
Bhalwal and Bhera. The fields of these villages are very cultivated and
fertile. The Landlord Noon family created many bankers, industrialists,
ambassadors and politicians for Pakistan. The Noon family is very
popular in the area because of their character , their attitude,their
behaviour with the people and helps the poor and needy people in the
area without any prejudice so Noon family is very well-wisher,well-behaved
,sympathetic with the area. On their land they own over 40 factories on
total ranging from brick manufacturing to cotton farms and production.
They are a tax paying landlords for this reason they are the only feudal
lords including in this edition.
30 - Mian Abdullah Pakistan
Ranking: 19 Worth: £190m ($380m) Industry: Businessman
One of the largest manufacturers and exporters of textile products in
Pakistan, Sapphire technology comes from Europe, Japan and USA.
Capitalizing on the region’s principal crop, cotton, we source this
locally, and augment our offerings by providing imported fiber from the
world’s best crops. We work with specialized fibers bringing in the
newest innovations from major fiber and chemical producers, and our
manufacturing from yarn to finished fabric is performed in our
facilities in Pakistan. Synergies are formed with offshore garment
manufacturing companies. Our products are marketed to the industry’s
biggest names in Asia, Europe, Australia, and North America. Over 14,000
employees ,Annual turnover US $ 500 Million
Headed by a veteran industrialist Mian Abdullah, this splendid empire
owns 11 yarn spinning plants (producing 60,000 tonnes of yarn annually),
3 woven plants of greige fabric ( producing 50 million metres annually),
one yarn dyeing plant (capacity 5 tonnes per day), one knitting unit (10
tonnes per day), one knitted fabric dyeing plant (10 tonnes per day),
one woven fabric dyeing and finishing plant (1.2 million metres per
month) and three power plants having the capability to produce 40 MW of
energy. Sapphire forms synergies with off-shore garments companies. The
group markets its products in biggest brand names in Asia, Europe,
Australia and North America. Sapphire started with one spinning mill in
1969 and employs over 10,000 people. Mian Abdullah’s repute can be
gauged from the fact during the October 2003 minis at APTMA, more than
1000 textile millers bad tendered their resignations against incumbent
Chief Waqar Monnoo to him. Dozens of leading tycoons had proposed his
name to head APTMA in case of an interim setup. Having an influence
among textile millers is no easy job but Mian Abdullah stands privileged
in this context He is often seen part of the entourages of key business
leaders to foreign countries and provides input to fellow colleagues
whenever requested.
31 - Shahzad Family Pakistan
Ranking: 20 (tied at 20) Worth: £170m ($340m) Industry: Businessman
Shahzad Group is a reputable name which takes pride in being identified
as a beacon of business development involved in almost all avenues of
Nation building activities i.e. Energy, Communications, Minerals,
Construction, Geophysical survey, Security and many other ventures.
Shahzad Group has , by itself, and in some cases in collaboration with
foreign and local partners, who are the leading brand names in the
world, identified, initiated, supervised and successfully completed
major business ventures. Shahzad Group prides itself for its
accomplishments during almost three decades of business activity. The
Group has actively participated in enhancing Pakistan’s international
competitiveness and social development, and for promotion of foreign and
domestic investment in business ventures. It takes pride in delivering
quality products, solutions and services that obtain a competitive
advantage over others.
The Group is a wholly owned Pakistani establishment with offices in
Calgary (Canada), Houston (USA), London, Kuwait, Beijing and Singapore,
with a strong presence in various other metropolises all over the world.
Shahzad International Group of Companies,Oil and Gas,Gold and Minerals
Mining,Geological surveys,Defence supplies,Travel and Tour
Operators,Flash security services and Trading Worldwide.
32 - Nazir Family Pakistan
Ranking: 20 (tied at 20) Worth: £170m ($340m) Industry: Businessman
One of Faislalabads most prominent families is the Haji Nair family.
Owning Masoos textiles, Mahmood Textiles, Asim Textiles and power
generation plants. Son of Mr Nazir Shahid Nazir is also a prominent
politician.
33 - Abdul Bhati UK
Ranking: 21 (tied at 21) Worth: £150m ($300m) Industry: Businessman
Bhatti, 71, is a director of London-based wholesaler Bestway, which saw
profits up 27% in 2005-06 at £73m on a turnover up 26% at £1.7 billion.
Bhatti and his family have a stake worth £140m as well as other assets.
34 - Adalat Chaudhary UK
Ranking: 21 (tied at 21) Worth: £150m ($300m) Industry: Businessman
Director of the London-based Bestway cash-and-carry business established
by Sir Anwar Pervez.
35 - Younis Sheikh UK
Ranking: 21 (tied at 21) Worth: £150m ($300m) Industry: Businessman
Bestway director Sheikh, 70, London cash-and-carry business Bestway
continues to thrive.
36 - Chaudrey Zameer UK
Ranking: 21 (tied at 21) Worth: £150m ($300m) Industry: Businessman
Finance director of the London-based Bestway cash-and-carry business
started in 1976 by Anwar Pervez . In 2004 Pervez stepped down as
managing director, Choudrey took over. In 2005-06 Bestway profits rose
27% at £73m on turnover up 26% at £1.7 billion. Choudrey and his family
have a 10.1% stake. They also own 70% of the Buybest supermarket chain
in UK
37 - Zafar Iqbal Khwaja Pakistan
Ranking: 21 (tied at 21) Worth: £150m ($300m) Industry: Businessman
Zafar Iqbal Khawaja (born January 3rd, 1952) is a prominent Pakistani
businessman who owns a number of companies around the world. He is
better known in Pakistan as the “Prince of Sargodha”. Also referred to
as the “Shaheen of Sargodha” (The Eagle of Sargodha). Zafar Iqbal
Khawaja, is the son of a significant military commando Muhammed Sadiq
Khawaja, who worked with Muhammed Ali Jinnah (The Founder of Pakistan)
during the 1947 partition of India and Pakistan. Zafar Iqbal Khawaja is
most widely known as the Managing Director of a multi-million dollar
company called Inter Equipment. It’s Head Quarters are located at the
Jebal Ali Free Zone, Dubai which is a recognized commercial capital of
the Middle-East. In Mr.Khawaja’s business circle, he is known for his
commitment to honest work and his ethical manner of business. Within 15
years, he has developed himself from a fresh college graduate, into a
business tycoon. Currently, he is in the process of writing an
auto-biography describing his success story. This auto-biography would
be a must-read for any business-person pursuing major success.
38 - Shahid Hussain Pakistan
Ranking: 22 (tied at 22) Worth: £130m ($260m) Industry: Businessman
With more than 325 retail outlets and 13 wholesale depots, Service Sales
Corporation (Pvt.) Limited is the leading retail and wholesale company
in Pakistan with annual sales $300m. The Company has established some of
Pakistan's leading footwear brands including DON CARLOS, CHEETAH, SKOOZ,
TOZ and LIZA and has distribution agreements with CATERPILLAR and NIKE.
As part of our growth strategy, we have expanded our businesses to
include Service Communications, Shoe Planet (Pvt.) Limited and Soul
Collections.
39 - Younis Brothers Pakistan
Ranking: 22 (tied at 22) Worth: £130m ($260m) Industry: Businessman
Yunus Brothers is actively involved in international trading of various
products including Cotton & Blended Yarn, Cotton & Blended Fabrics,
Garments, Rice, Sugar, Fertilizer, Earth moving equipments, Chemicals,
Spare Parts and Automotive Vehicles etc. Yunus Brothers is one of the
largest export houses of the Pakistan exporting mainly to the European,
US, Far Eastern, Middle Eastern and African markets. Yunus Brother's
annual sales turnover exceeds USD 300/- million with 95% of the sales
geared towards the export markets.
40 - Ghani Family Pakistan
Ranking: 22 (tied at 22) Worth: £130m ($260m) Industry: Businessman
Abdul Ghani Dada Bhoy was the founder of Dada Bhoy group, starting in
trade and branching off into the construction business. The group has a
big share of cement market in Southern Pakistan. Like other Memon
groups, Dad Bhoys are closely linked through intermarriages with other
leading families like Jaffer and Bawany. Abdul Ghani Dada Bhoy had five
sons and two daughters, namely Noor Mohammad Dada Bhoy, Mohammad Farooq
Dada Bhoy, Mohammad Hussain Dada Bhoy, Abdullah Hussain Dada Bhoy and
Ghulam Mohammad Dada Bhoy. Daughters are Mrs Mehrunisa Jaffer and Mrs
Zaibunisa Tanveer .
41 - Saddiq & Sons Pakistan
Ranking: 22 (tied at 22) Worth: £130m ($260m) Industry: Businessman
This group made the bulk of its fortune during the chief ministership
and premiership of Nawaz Sharif when the group was sold Pasrur Sugar
Mills for a token price of Rs one and its Chairman, Mohammad Saleem was
appointed managing director of National Development Leasing Corporation
(NDLC) replacing Rafiq Habib. Today the have invested huge amounts in
prime properties around Pakistan.
42 - Afzal Kushi UK
Ranking: 23 (tied at 23) Worth: £120m ($240m) Industry: Businessman
Afzal Khushi, 51, managing director of Jacobs & Turner, last year
received a CBE for services to business in Scotland. He and his brother,
Akmal, 50, have made the £90m Glasgow sportswear firm a global business.
They also have £30 other assets.
43 - Ghulam Hassan Khan Pakistan
Ranking: 23 (tied at 23) Worth: £120m ($240m) Industry: Businessman
The SK group of companies shares a set of five core values: integrity,
adaptability, excellence, unity and responsibility. These values, which
have been part of the SK Group's beliefs and convictions from its
earliest days, continue to guide and drive the business decisions of SK
companies. The SK Group and its enterprises have been steadfast and
distinctive in their adherence to business ethics and their commitment
to corporate social responsibility. This is a legacy that has earned the
SK Group the trust of many thousand of stakeholders The SK Group
comprises of six operating companies in following business segments:
Information technology, Real estate, Developer and Builders, Media,
Welfare, Import and exports and CNG stations. The SK Group was founded
by Sardar Gulam Hassan Khan Niazi in the mid 1980's. Sardar Khan Niazi
and those who followed him aligned business opportunities with the
objective of nation building. This approach remains enshrined in the SK
Group's ethos to this day. Rose Shopping Mall
Companies owned by the family today: Paradise City, SK Trading, DUBAI
Gasco 2000, chain of CNG stations SK Constructions , rose club, SK
plazaz, Chuna Pa chain fast food chinese., SKN tust and sk farms.
44 - Kasim Dada Pakistan
Ranking: 24 Worth: £100m ($200m) Industry: Businessman
Kasim hails from a 19th Century Memon business family known to have
possessed the vision of international trade when most of their
contemporaries were rather naïve on this count. This family had offices
in Burma, South Africa and countries of the Far-East long before 1940.
Dadas, have held decisive positions at the Karachi Stock Exchange and
own shares of various Pakistani and foreign monopolies without creating
any hype. Kassim Dada's family is known to have held major local equity
in multinationals like Glaxo SmithKline, Brook Bond and Berger Paints,
besides being the sponsoring directors of Messrs Hyderabad Electronics,
Automotive Battery Limited and Interfund Bank etc. Kassim Dada is one of
the few Pakistani Tycoons who used to fly on private planes from Karachi
to hit cement plants in Hyderabad. It was this family which had hired
Mahatama Gandhi as a solicitor in 1890 to contest a business case in
South Africa. Dada, was once a symbol of wealth. Had his assets not been
nationalised by Bhutto he would definitely had the status many richest
men in the world enjoy today. |