Abdul Razzak Yaqoob (7 May 1944 – 21 February 2014) was a Pakistani gold bullion trader who founded ARY Gold in the United Arab Emirates and later ARY Media Group.

Abdul Razzak Yaqoob
Born(1944-05-07)7 May 1944[1]
Died21 February 2014(2014-02-21) (aged 69)[1]
Nationality Pakistan
Known forFounder of ARY Digital Network
RelativesSalman Iqbal (nephew)[2]

Early life

edit

He was born in Surat, British India to Memon family in 1944 which later migrated to Karachi after partition.[3]

Business career

edit

Yakoob moved to the United Arab Emirates in the 1960s and started gold business with an outlet in Dubai. He founded ARY Group in 1972 and launched a private television channel ARY Digital in 2000.[3]

He was associated with the ARY Gold bribery case in which he paid a bribe to then Prime Minister of Pakistan Benazir Bhutto to get exclusive rights to import and trade gold in Pakistan.[3] In January 1994, Schlegelmilch established a British Virgin Island based named Capricorn Trading, with Zardari as its owner.[4]

Death

edit

He died on 21 February 2014 in London, United Kingdom.[3]

References

edit
  1. ^ a b "ARY Founder Haji Abdul Razzaq passes away". Dawn (newspaper).
  2. ^ "Master of many arts". Khaleej Times (newspaper). 23 March 2021. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  3. ^ a b c d Reporter, The Newspaper's Staff (22 February 2014). "Founder of ARY Group passes away". Dawn (newspaper).
  4. ^ Burns, John F. (9 January 1998). "HOUSE OF GRAFT: Tracing the Bhutto Millions -- A special report.; Bhutto Clan Leaves Trail of Corruption". New York Times.