SC Rejects Stay on Bahria Town Property Auction

Islamabad, August 8, 2025, 07:35 PM PKT — The Supreme Court of Pakistan has delivered a decisive blow, dismissing a petition seeking a stay order on the auction of six commercial properties tied to Bahria Town, the real estate giant owned by Malik Riaz, as the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) presses forward to recover funds from a 2019 court-approved plea bargain, per official proceedings. A three-member bench, led by Justice Amin-ud-Din Khan, heard the case, where petitioner’s counsel Farooq H Naek demanded an immediate stay, but Justice Khan ruled that a unilateral stay was invalid without hearing all parties, adjourning the matter to August 13 and ordering submission of relevant references.

The auction, targeting unpaid amounts from a £190 million settlement, saw Rubaish Marquee sold for Rs508 million, with conditional bids on other properties, though three remained unsold. Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan raised the possibility of plea bargain annulment if escalated to NAB’s chairman. Web context on similar cases reveals enforcement inconsistencies, while posts found on X show divided sentiment—some hail accountability, others question political motives. Critically, the narrative of “fund recovery” may mask selective targeting—web data hints at past leniency, and X sentiment suggests distrust in fairness, pointing to underlying tensions.