Arguably Mian Nawaz Sharif is the richest Chief Executive of a country in the world. Some known names in this respect have been Marcos of Philippines, Thaksin of Thailand, Burlusconi of Italy, Hosni Mubarak of Egypt, Zainal Abdin Bin Ali of Tunis and Shah Raza Shah of Iran.
My memory may be excused if it is missing any significant name in this respect that has made headlines in the post-world war era. Almost all of them are gone. In the world of today Mian Nawaz Sharif has virtually no one to beat— and none even miles behind him in the race.
Mian Nawaz Sharif is today one and the only super-rich ruler in the world. And this unique distinction is made all the more unique because of the fact that while most of the other tycoons in this bracket made money in underhand kickbacks and ‘commissions’, Mian Nawaz Sharif and his family didn’t restrict themselves to that mode of money-making; they also went for enhancement of their business and industrial operations which also involved setting up of hundreds of “cover-companies” to ensure that the ‘use of authority’ that motored “the engine of money-making” was not ‘wasted’ in building other families. Monopolising certain key ‘consumer-related’ businesses was a central objective— and embarking upon mega state projects that necessitated involvement of hundreds of contracting companies was a huge preference. Money came from the loans that Pakistan acquired through peerless negotiationary skills of Ishaque Dar.
The ruling family today talks proudly of the unprecedented progress that the country is making (despite an alarming decline in exports income due to curtailed industrial activity). Our Finance Minister is known for exemplary skills in fudging figures and statistics. Even the loaning organizations and countries recognize the brilliance of Ishaque Dar.
The most convincing indicator of Pakistan’s economic progress is the life-style of its Chief Executive. The world will soon have a glimpse of this life-style when cameras follow Imran Khan’s march to Raiwind. Till now people have only heard of the monumental complex of palaces that comprise Jati Umara— the identity of Mian Nawaz Sharif’s unbeatable life-style. The world will soon have an opportunity to witness how ‘democracy’ can build in these times an emperor of Moghul dimensions.
