Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Father and son on Titanic tourist sub from influential Pakistan dynasty

Dual British-Pakistani nationals Shahzada Dawood and Suleman are part of the profitable Dawood empire revered for philanthropic work

Father and son on Titanic tourist sub from influential Pakistan dynasty

THE FATHER and son aboard the missing Titanic tourist submersible hail from one of Pakistan's most prominent and wealthiest families, who are known for their philanthropic contributions to the country.

Dual British-Pakistani nationals Shahzada Dawood, 48, and his son Suleman, 19 - who together spent half a million dollars on an exclusive excursion - are part of the Dawood empire, which has become one of the most profitable in Pakistan.

The patriarch at the top of the chain, Shahzada's father Hussain Dawood, is one of Pakistan's richest men, according to local media.

After Pakistan was founded in 1947, the Dawoods provided funding to the government and were behind the first wave of industrialisation, said Aqeel Karim Dhedhi, a business tycoon and stock trader in Karachi.

"They set up major industrial projects and thus provided employment to thousands of people in the newborn country," Dhedhi said.

Suleman Suleman


He described the family as being "one of the top philanthropic groups in Pakistan", adding: "They don’t boast about any of it."

The Dawood conglomerate includes Engro, of which Shahzada is the vice chairman. It boasts investments in energy, agriculture, petrochemical and telecommunications ventures and clocked a revenue of Rs 350 billion ($1.2 billion) in 2022.

Educated in the UK and the United States, Shahzada lives in Britain with his wife Christine, his son Suleman and his daughter Alina.

A family statement described Shahzada as a "loving father" with a keen interest in "photography, especially wildlife photography, and exploring different natural habitats".

Suleman enjoys Rubik's Cube puzzles, volleyball and "is a big fan of science fiction literature and learning new things," it added.

Shahzada's interest in exploration extends to space and he is a trustee of the California-based Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence Institute (SETI), which looks for evidence of alien life, according to its website.

Shahzada and his family are perhaps most revered for their philanthropic work - particularly providing business and education opportunities for young people from low-income backgrounds.

Since the 1960s, the Dawood Foundation has focused on establishing education institutions across Pakistan - particularly catering to the demand for engineers and technology experts.

Shahzada is also on the board of the Prince's Trust in Britain - a charity that helps young people get jobs, education and training.

In February 2020, he was a keynote speaker on a panel at the United Nations on equality in agriculture.

"Women are under-represented in such an important fact, which is our food and our livelihood. We need to look at the perspective of women first," he said.

Both Shahzada and his father Hussain were named in the 2016 publication of the so-called Panama Papers - a leak of more than 11.5 million financial and legal records exposing secretive offshore accounts of the world's rich and powerful.

Both were listed as having accounts in the British Virgin Islands between 2005 and 2009.

(AFP)

More For You

Modi backs peaceful Ukraine settlement in call with Zelenskyy

Volodymyr Zelenskiy (L) and Narendra Modi

Modi backs peaceful Ukraine settlement in call with Zelenskyy

INDIAN prime minister Narendra Modi reaffirmed his support for a peaceful settlement in Ukraine during a telephone conversation with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Modi's office said.

Zelenskiy, speaking in his nightly video address on Saturday (30), said Modi supported Ukraine's call for a ceasefire in the war with Russia and hoped that notion would be heard at the forthcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in China.

Keep ReadingShow less
Modi says "peace and stability" achieved on China border in Xi meeting

India's prime minister Narendra Modi shakes hands with Chinese president Xi Jinping during a meeting on the sidelines of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Tianjin, China, August 31, 2025. India's Press Information Bureau/Handout via REUTERS

Modi says "peace and stability" achieved on China border in Xi meeting

INDIAN prime minister Narendra Modi said New Delhi was committed to improving ties with Beijing in a key meeting with China's president Xi Jinping on the sidelines of a regional security forum on Sunday (31).

Modi is in China for the first time in seven years to attend a two-day meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, along with Russian president Vladimir Putin and other leaders from Central, South and Southeast Asia and the Middle East in a show of Global South solidarity.

Keep ReadingShow less
wasim bashir

Bashir retired from the force while under investigation but will still face misconduct proceedings. (Photo credit: West Yorkshire Police)

West Yorkshire Police

Former West Yorkshire Police officer jailed for misconduct

A FORMER West Yorkshire Police officer has been sentenced to two years and three months in prison after being convicted of misconduct in a public office.

Wasim Bashir, 55, who worked as a detective constable in Bradford District, was found guilty of one count of misconduct in a public office for forming a sexual relationship with a female victim of crime. He was sentenced at Sheffield Crown Court on Friday, 29 August.

Keep ReadingShow less
Epping protests

Protesters calling for the closure of The Bell Hotel, which was housing asylum seekers, gather outside the council offices in Epping on August 8, 2025. (Photo: Getty Images)

Getty Images

Over a dozen councils plan legal action despite Home Office court win

Highlights:

  • Court of Appeal has overturned injunction blocking use of Epping hotel for asylum seekers.
  • Judges say human rights obligations outweigh local safety concerns.
  • At least 13 councils preparing legal action despite ruling.
  • Protests outside the Bell Hotel lead to arrests and police injuries.

MORE than a dozen councils are moving ahead with legal challenges against the use of hotels for asylum seekers despite the Home Office winning an appeal in the Court of Appeal.

Keep ReadingShow less
India-Canada-iStock

India and Canada have appointed new envoys in a step to restore diplomatic ties strained since 2023. (Representational image: iStock)

iStock

Envoys appointed as India, Canada move to restore diplomatic ties

INDIA and Canada on Thursday announced the appointment of new envoys to each other’s capitals, in a step aimed at restoring strained ties following the killing of a Sikh separatist in 2023.

India has named senior diplomat Dinesh K Patnaik as the next high commissioner to Ottawa, while Canada appointed Christopher Cooter as its new envoy to New Delhi.

Keep ReadingShow less