While the economic progress of Pakistan has been considerably slow over the past several decades, some Pakistanis have highlighted the true potential of the country through their significant achievements.
These business giants and philanthropists have not only made a name for themselves but also created unlimited opportunities for their countrymen to start a journey on the path of progress and growth.
After establishing their business empires as they gave it the best years of their lives, these individuals are considered the richest men from Pakistan.
Born in 1950 in Lahore, Pakistani-born American citizen Shahid Khan tops the list of richest Pakistanis.
He moved to the US from Pakistan at age 16 to attend college where he also started his professional career by working at an automotive manufacturing company.
Khan bought auto parts supplier Flex-N-Gate from his former employer in 1980 and was worth $8.89 billion in 2020.
His design for a one-piece truck bumper was the basis for his success; the company now has 69 plants worldwide including the US, China, Argentina, Spain, Germany and Canada.
Khan also owns the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars, which he bought in 2012, and the UK’s Fulham football club, purchased in 2013.
Anwar Pervez was born on March, 15, 1935 in Rawalpindi. At the age of 21, Parvez emigrated to England to explore more opportunities.
He worked as a telephone operator, bus conductor and driver for many years. In 1963 he established his first convenience store by the name of Kashmir in London’s Earls Court.
By the early seventies, he had changed the company’s name to Bestway and was operating ten convenience stores in and around West London. The company has since grown to a multibillion-pound enterprise. The company has a share of 18% of the total UK market share.
Pervez was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 1999 and a Knight Bachelor in 1999. In March 2000, the President of Pakistan rewarded him with the Hilal-e-Pakistan.
Hashwani, a business tycoon and a self-made billionaire, was born in Karachi, in 1940. With a net worth $900 million, he is ranked among the wealthiest man in Pakistan.
He started trading in cotton by establishing “Hassan Ali and Company” In 1965, alongside his older brother.
But in three years, their business flourished and became the number one exporter in cotton. In the same decade, they were acknowledged as the “Cotton Kings”
He is the founder and chairman of Hashoo Group, a conglomerate with a range of businesses in hospitality, information technology, oil and gas, pharmaceuticals, ceramics, mining, and trading, best known for its five-star hotels and resorts (Marriot and Pearl Continental Hotels).
In 2014, he published his best-selling book ‘Truth Always Prevails: A Memoir’. Hashwani was awarded with Nishan-e-Imtiaz for his services in the business sector of Pakistan.
Mansha is a prominent Pakistani business tycoon and one of the richest men in Pakistan. His family had a background in the textile industry.
Mansha is one the richest persons in Pakistan with a net worth of $5 billion.
He went to college in the UK and become the CEO and founder of Nishat Group after his return to the country.
His family had been running the Nishat Mills as a family business which later transformed into Nishat Group.
Mansha has the establishment of Nishat Hotels, Adamjee Group, MCB Bank, DG Khan Cement, Emporium Mall, Nishat Motors and Nishat Chunian Group to his credit.
In 2004, he was awarded with Satara Imtiaz. He also serves as a board member of various commercial organisations in Pakistan.
Born on July 26, 1955, Zardari belongs to a feudal family. However, he was not the centre of public interest until his marriage to former prime minister Benazir Bhutto.
After his marriage, Zardari’s political career started as he reached to the high tables in the following years.
He was the President of Pakistan from 2008 to 2013. He also holds the post of co-chairman of the Pakistan People’s Party, the second-largest political party in the country.
While his actual net worth is not disclosed, he has invested in agriculture, real estate, industrial and beverage sectors and is among the top 10 richest people in Pakistan.
Malik Riaz Hussain was born to a poor family in Rawalpindi on February 8, 1954.
He started his career as a clerk in a construction company. In the following years, he formed his own construction company in the 1980s after gaining experience in the field.
His first major project was the construction of a community centre for naval workers after which he named his construction projects ‘Bahria’.
Now, the exceptionally developed gated Bahria Town housing societies are present all over the country including Rawalpindi, Lahore, Islamabad and Karachi. Bahria Town is Asia’s largest real estate developer.
Riaz is also involved in welfare works. Bahria Town Company is one of the first companies to donate and help in case of disasters and calamities.
The PML-N founder Nawaz Sharif was born on December 25, 1949. He was born into an influential and rich family in Lahore.
Before entering politics, he ran a family business with his father, but his business reached new heights of success as his political career flourished.
With a net worth of around $1.6 billion, Sharif is considered one of the richest men in Pakistan.
His family owns the Etihad Group and deals in real estate. He served as the Prime Minister of Pakistan for more than nine years. While he was the Prime Minister, Sharif was implicated in the Panama Papers in 2017 and was disqualified for a lifetime.
He was sentenced to 10 years in prison, but in October 2018, he was diagnosed with the disease and allowed to travel to London for treatment. Since then, Sharif has been running his affairs from his residence in London.
Nasir Schon is a Pakistan-based renowned business leader and works as Chief Executive Officer of Schon Group and Honorary Consulate General of Sierra Leonean in Karachi. He belongs to Karachi, but currently, he is living in the United Arab Emirates.
Shone Group is a huge conglomerate that includes Shone Properties, Dubai Lagoon and Shone Business Park.
In 2007 the Schon Business Park’s development was started. The park consists of 410 offices having a space for four-thousand employees. The park was awarded CNBC (Consumer News & Business Channel) Arabian Property Prize for the Best development of offices.
The flagship project of Schon Properties was ‘Dubai Lagoon’ which also secured a CNBC (Consumer News & Business Channel) Arabian Property Prize for Best Mixed-Use Development.
Habib is also ranked amongst the richest men in Pakistan. He founded Thal Limited.
He currently holds the position of Chairman of Shabbir Tiles & Ceramics Ltd., Chairman at Habib Insurance Co. Ltd., Chairman at Thal Ltd. and Group Chairman at House of Habib (Pvt) Ltd.
Habib is also a member of Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry and Vice President for Anjuman-E-Behbood Samat-E-Itefal.
