Islamabad: Pakistan is under heavy debt. The country’s middle class or say the common man is suffering due to lack of basic facilities and falling value of their currency. But all is not lost, it seems for the country. The country’s top Army brass and its politicians still continue to lead a luxurious life with enough money and all amenities at their disposal.
Pakistan’s debts
It is no secret that Pakistan is buried under heavy debt. Prices of all products, be it food items or those of everyday use, are increasing day by day. According to a report in Firstpost, since 1984, Pakistan has sought bailout packages from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) nearly 2 dozen times. Despite this, the prices in the country are increasing and people are forced to cut down their needs.
But the situation is not the same for everyone. The elite in Pakistan, which includes Army Generals and politicians have amassed wealth worth billions.
According to the Pakistan Economic Survey 2024-25, the country is in a dire financial situation. The report shows that as of March 2025, Pakistan was burdened with its highest ever debt, which was USD 269.344 million. When converted to Indian currency, the amount comes to Rs 23.1 trillion.
An excerpt from the survey, quoted in the news report said, “Total public debt stood at Rs 76,007 billion by end-March 2025, with domestic debt at Rs 51,518 billion and external debt at Rs 24,489 billion (USD 87 billion). During July–March FY2025, interest expense on public debt totaled Rs 6,439 billion, comprising Rs 5,783 billion on domestic debt and Rs 656 billion on external debt.”
The debt for Pakistan has almost doubled in the past 4 years. The debt recorded in 2020-21 was Rs 11 trillion. While a decade back it was Rs 2 trillion. So since 2015, the country’s debt has increased over 5 times.
The Economic Survey had a warning for the country’s finances. It said, “excessive or poorly managed debt can pose serious vulnerabilities, such as rising interest burdens and can undermine long-term fiscal sustainability and economic security if left unaddressed.”
Public debt rose 6.7 per cent in the first 9 months of Financial Year 2024-25, said the survey. Fiscal deficit has also been 2.6 per cent of GDP during the first 3 quarters of the fiscal year. Pakistan’s inflation was recorded at 4.6 per cent for the fiscal year.
Generals, politicians in Pakistan gain wealth
But despite the fact that the country is under heavy debt, the politicians and the top brass of the Army are gaining wealth. Here is a look at the wealth of some of the top generals and politicians of the country.
1. General Asim Munir
General Asim Munir who is Pakistan’s Army chief is the most powerful man in the country, currently. His personal net worth is just USD 800,00, which is Rs 6.7 crore, the organisation it heads is extremely powerful and also rich.
Pakistan’s military is considered to be the biggest commercial enterprise in the country, and General Munir is its head. So in this way, he has a huge share of the wealth of the organisation. The Pakistani military reportedly has massive holdings in real estate and also runs conglomerates in fields such as cement, banking, dairy, transport and fertilisers.
It is estimated that the Pakistan Army’s business add up to anything between USD 40 to USD 100 billion dollars.
2. General Qamar Javed Bajwa
Qamar Javed Bajwa was the predecessor of General Munir. The former Army Chief amassed huge wealth along with his family, when he was heading the country’s army. His assets were reportedly Rs 12.7 billion in 2022, while the assets of his wife jumped from zero in 2016 to Rs 2.2 billion in 6 years.
3. Asif Ali Zardari
Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zaradari boasts of a net worth of USD 1.8 billion. He is also the co-chair of Pakistan’s Peoples Party and is a successful businessman in the country.
His assets include agricultural land in Sindh and sugar mills. He also has made considerable investments in real estate in the country. He officially does not hold any property outside Pakistan. BUt his children reportedly own real estate in Dubai.
4. Shehbaz Sharif
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is one of the wealthiest people in the country. In 2015 he had declared assets worth Rs 262 million, shows data of the Election Commission. This was his wealth prior to taking office for the second time.
His property in London is valued at Rs 153 million and those in Pakistan add up to Rs 108 million. The assets in Pakistan include real estate, agricultural land and bank accounts.
5. Nawaz Sharif
The former Pakistan PM claims to have assets worth Rs 47 million, as of 2025. In 2015-16, during the time of elections, Sharif had declared assets worth Rs 500 million. Though the official figure of his wealth given is Rs 47 million, many peg his wealth at Rs USD 1.8 billion.
When he was embroiled in the Panama Papers scandal, Nawaz reportedly had to part with USD 10.5 million of his wealth, as he had to submit that amount in fines. The court had also sentenced him to a decade in prison.
The Panama papers claimed that his children owned offshore companies and assets in London, which had not been declared to the authorities.
6. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari
PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari is a billionaire. In 2025, he declared his assets were valued at Rs 1.9 billion. He owns properties in the UK and Dubai. Not only that he has lent out his money to several companies as loans.
7. Imran Khan
In 2020, former PM of Pakistan Imran Khan had declared that he owned assets worth Rs 24 million. However this declaration did not take into account the value of the 300-kanal villa in Bani Gala that he said was a gift.
Khan claimed that he had inherited all other properties in his name. These included a house in Lahore’s Zaman Park, around 600 acres (4,800 kanals) of agricultural land and non-agricultural land. He also owned 4 goats and no property outside Pakistan.
He was said to have 18 million rupees in his bank accounts. His wife, Bushra Bibi meanwhile was said to be wealthier than him. Her net worth was Rs 43 million in 2020.
