Taliban asked Malik Riaz for $10m ransom: Nacta

E-Paper | March 09, 2026

Taliban asked Malik Riaz for $10m ransom: Nacta

Mohammad Asghar Published July 26, 2019

According to sources, Nacta informed the authorities concerned about an email of the in-charge of the TTP’s finance wing sent to Malik Riaz containing the demand for the extortion money. — Reuters/File

RAWALPINDI: The National Counter Terrorism Authority (Nacta) has asked governments of Punjab and Sindh to make effective measures regarding threats hurled at property tycoon Malik Riaz by a wing of the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) demanding $10 million extortion money.

According to sources, Nacta informed the authorities concerned about an email of the in-charge of the TTP’s finance wing sent to Malik Riaz containing the demand for the extortion money.

The email contains the bank account number in which the money has to be deposited, the sources said, adding the email suggested in case of nonpayment Malik Riaz and his family would face `dire consequences’.

They said the director general of the Federal Investigation Agency, provincial police chiefs of Sindh and Punjab and Islamabad commissioner had been asked to take effective measures to thwart the threat.

Published in Dawn, July 26th, 2019

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Sameer

Jul 26, 2019 08:14am

And this is how bad times hit when they hit!

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Syed Farhan Ahmad

Jul 26, 2019 08:17am

Its easily traceable

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Owais Mangal

Jul 26, 2019 08:18am

An opportunity to trace the source and nail the culprit.

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fairplay

Jul 26, 2019 08:35am

He needs to be jailed for his crimes, bribery and corruption. He gifted Zardari a huge house in Lahore, a clear bribe, for allowing him to steal land in Sindh.

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urooj saifi

Jul 26, 2019 08:46am

Bank account details are included in the letter - this is so bizarre.

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Khan

Jul 26, 2019 08:50am

Freeze the account.

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Anti-Corruption

Jul 26, 2019 08:51am

Bank account info? Something doesn't make sense.

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Smart Observer

Jul 26, 2019 08:57am

@Owais Mangal, Well said. What other proof do you need to catch the culprit. Go to the bank and find out the identity of the account holder. Of course it is going to be a rickshaw driver in Larkana

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Anis Motiwala

Jul 26, 2019 09:06am

Taliban seem to have a sense of humor too. Extortion threat on email! Bank account also provided! FIA would rather investigate deep in this case.

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Sadia Khalil

Jul 26, 2019 09:07am

Interesting! Is this really TTP threatening or someone else?

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Mansur Ul Haque

Jul 26, 2019 09:11am

Don't make excuses. Hope you remember that first Installment due against Karachi land is due in August.

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Asif

Jul 26, 2019 09:14am

what is going on here? Is this real? I thought people were safe from TTP and similar thugs? But unfortunately he is urban thug, so, yeah.

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HisMaster'sVoice

Jul 26, 2019 09:24am

Maybe TTP bought some plots in one of his projects that were cancelled or not delivered, as is the case with hundreds or thousands of others. Seriously possible. The banned outfits are big into property, qabza etc.

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Ameen

Jul 26, 2019 09:25am

What are the banks doing?

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ilyas khan

Jul 26, 2019 09:55am

I am from KPK and there are number of occurrences where the criminals are using TTP name for extortion money. I am by no way supporting TTP, they are the worst criminals but other ordinary criminals just use their name ...

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Gordon D. Walker

Jul 26, 2019 09:59am

The Taliban I am learning are not a very nice lot... Terror Inc! Murder Ink! The missing links! Gordon D. Walker Canada

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aziz alam

Jul 26, 2019 10:03am

Only 10 m ?

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Prateik

Jul 26, 2019 10:06am

It's called donation according to Taliban.

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Ghulam Murtaza

Jul 26, 2019 10:08am

Readers here are reacting to the news that its easily traceable because they sent an email and there is a bank account number in it. There are plenty of clever ways to keep a bank account anonymous, making it pretty hard to trace. Anonymous email addresses are pretty easy as well, so there you go. Nobody is as stupid as you think.

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Saif

Jul 26, 2019 10:13am

Bank account number in which the money has to be deposited ??... I thought they deal in cash?

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Talha

Jul 26, 2019 10:13am

Corrupt vs terrorist

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Sajid Iqbal

Jul 26, 2019 10:17am

Who know FBR is trying to finally extract some tax from media mogul in disguise of TTP. ;-)

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Ammar Altaf

Jul 26, 2019 10:24am

@aziz alam, its USD

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Vishal

Jul 26, 2019 10:27am

Given an account for ransom deposit? Truly digital. Pakistani bank account or overseas?

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SAB

Jul 26, 2019 10:27am

I think they can take money from Malik Riaz and he would also be ready to give it to them. Will he negotiate as he did with the SC?

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Sohail

Jul 26, 2019 12:06pm

Well done Taliban, Malik Riaz does not deserve free life and good sleep because of his corrupt practices.

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Masood

Jul 26, 2019 12:38pm

He owes huge sums of money to the nation, must be protected!

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Changez Khan

Jul 26, 2019 01:01pm

Are you sure it is not PPP or PML-N who asked for $10m ransom?

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Peace

Jul 26, 2019 01:16pm

@Gordon D. Walker, you never said If you are a Pakistani or ?

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Siddharth

Jul 26, 2019 01:51pm

fake threat

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Parvez

Jul 26, 2019 02:27pm

This has a distinctly false ring to it ...... the TTP surely are more sophisticated than that.

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S Khan

Jul 26, 2019 02:30pm

Really sad that such elements still operating. Should be traced and punished severely, asap

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Chinpaksaddique

Jul 26, 2019 03:15pm

He so a lot more . Get him and his money. Tank you PMIK

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Jul 26, 2019 03:30pm

Surely the bank account would be located somewhere beyond the Government of Pakistan’s jurisdiction. The email can be tracked back to the sender’s pin point location too but that too would be beyond the GOP’s lawful jurisdiction. But the point to ponder is that is this for real or just a diversion by MR.?

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Anon

Jul 26, 2019 03:50pm

Its kinda funny how they have bank account and all.its probably some thugs, petty criminals using TTP's name to get easy money

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Ash Man

Jul 26, 2019 04:18pm

So now extortion money is also demanded by email and in dollars.

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Mustafa

Jul 26, 2019 04:18pm

I am an overseas Pakistani. Bahria town has eaten my plot that was provisionally allotted to me in Rawalpindi phase 8. For more than a decade i kept on paying and now i found out that the map has changed and my plot is not there in the new map. I found out that they have done this to a lot of people. Will someone take an action against this corrupt mafia too.

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SimpliTruth

Jul 26, 2019 04:42pm

Then your PM asks for funds from Overseas Pakistanis to invest?

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MOZ

Jul 26, 2019 04:52pm

Govt should trace them and give them what they deserve.

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Miqbal rangoonwala

Jul 26, 2019 05:01pm

Bank do not open the accounts with out Biometric what about this is this parliment

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ajr

Jul 26, 2019 05:10pm

Did Malik Riaz started paying his dues as he agreed in Supreme Court?

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Newborn

Jul 26, 2019 05:10pm

Someone is faking the Taliban.

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Adnan Bottlewala

Jul 26, 2019 05:38pm

@Syed Farhan Ahmad, Not so easy. Money trail will lead to the agencies.

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Munawar lilani

Jul 26, 2019 05:40pm

Cheapskate, only $10m ? Looks more of an internal game, to move family and himself out of Pakistan, with an excuse of security risk to avoid NAB and FIA.

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Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad

Jul 26, 2019 06:24pm

What else is called "easy come easy go"?

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Abid Khan

Jul 26, 2019 06:25pm

Many ways of evading taxes by the wily businessman.

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SkyHawk

Jul 26, 2019 06:47pm

Fake Talibans asking for $10m ransom from Malik Riaz. I can smell something fishy.

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Sami

Jul 26, 2019 08:51pm

I think as a business man, Malik Riaz has done a great work for the people of Pakistan. Authorities should protect him !

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Awaz....

Jul 27, 2019 02:33am

Mr. Malik Riaz, You cannot Illegally occupy land and suck poor Pakistani's blood and then feed them publicly in the name charity....

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Naseem

Jul 27, 2019 03:38pm

Two possibilities. 1. Some powerful people are behind this scam and harassing this man or he himself is platting a game. How on earth this is possible to send an email to someone asking him to deposit money into this account. If the government can find out BENAMI accounts then how come authorities can not reach to the conclusion. Is this hard to find the man who has sent email .Give me the task and I myself will find email sender and Bank Account holder. What a joke. World would be laughing when they read this funny and nonsense news.

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Hassan

Jul 27, 2019 05:01pm

It seems a drama of property tycoon as tracing account number is not a difficult task.

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Zak

Jul 27, 2019 07:00pm

Unlikely story, they knew if he was captive with them, he would steal from them as well.

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Zak

Jul 27, 2019 07:34pm

‘demanding $10 million extortion money.’ Maybe FBR new tactic of retrieving scammed money back.

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M. Emad

Jul 27, 2019 07:37pm

CJP asked Malik Riaz for Dam fund.

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Marlin US

Jul 27, 2019 07:58pm

He wants to write off $10mil. as a "RANSOM PAYMENT" at the tax filling time. This guy is making a monkey out of the people of Pakistan and the PTI govt. If it is not the TTP, then most certainly they will come after this crook and his family.

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Indoaryan

Jul 27, 2019 09:12pm

@Ash Man , All the world's crooks are heading towards Pakistan now, there is money to be made.

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