Friday, March 14, 2008

Bilal Musharraf, Pakistan Ambassador and Saudi Prince
















Now the Website - ePlanet Ventures, founded in 1999 close to the time when general Musharraf has taken over or was taking over Pakistan in a bloodless coup.

What they do -

ePlanet Ventures seeks to provide superior returns to its investors by making private equity investments on a global basis in companies where the application of innovation in technology and/or business models has the potential to create high-growth, category-dominant companies. (link)

Bilal Musharraf serves as the vice president of the eplanet ventures which on their website says:

"We believe that the business and government connections of our Limited Partners represent a valuable asset to our enterprise." (link)

Now few questions that the company should answer:
  • What was Shahid Karimullah, Pakistan Ambassador to Saudhi Arabia, doing in this meeting of ePlanet ventures executives with Saudhi Prince Alwaleed bin Talal?

  • Does this meeting explain the billions that have been moved out of Pakistan by Musharraf Corporation? Remember the US complained Pakistani funds were diverted by Musharraf. Where did they go? Bilal Musharraf became a millionaire all of a sudden. Does this explain it?

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Bravo for brightening up my Friday – a true media sensation.

Maybe eplanet were in Riyadh to solicit Prince Talal's appetite for their future fund. Both Asad and Bilal share Pakistani heritage hence this could be the reason as to why the Pak ambassador was there - this is usual in the BIG WIDE WORLD!!!

The author has too much time on his/her hand. The story was laced with "opinion" and evolved into a conspiracy theory. To the questions that highlighted:

1. DUHH - Pakistani ambassadors often accompany Pakistani businessmen (be it ex-pats) in high level meetings.

2. Billion - what billion. This is a serious allegation against "Musharraf Corporation" (the word “Corporation” - 10/10 for FOX-type-rhetoric). So the logic of the story is thus:
Musharaff would use Prince Talal (one of the richest man in the planet) as an intermediary to wire billions out of Pakistan and thereafter Prince Talal can then give this to eplanet – again 10 out of 10 for the detective work…NOT. Oh yeah – and the Ambassador Karim (ex-Naval chief) can oversee the transaction so he could use his Pak Naval connection to load and transfer the greenback on Naval ships to Saudi. Perhaps, Ary or Geo can use your script for their next big drama serial!!!

How about tacking the existing cases of money-laundering. Mr Nawaz and a certain Zar-dollari spring to mind!!!

Ciao

Anonymous said...

Quite possibly the worst conspiracy theory ever!!
Someone has too much time on their hands!
Do you honestly think a man of Prince Al Waleed reputation would ever get himself involved in any front company, near impossible!!
ePlanet is vastly reputable and legitimately successful, shame on you for attempting to tarnish such company!

Anonymous said...

The person that posed the questions is on crack. Bilal has a job like most normal people. Ambassadors are suppose to facilitate business meetings....so no issue. Small minds think small. US Aid to Pakistan is actually credit for military supplies. That money is lying with Lockheed Martin.....

Anonymous said...

It is typical for us Pakistanis to throw dirt at our own success stories. Asad Jamal is the only Pakistani (and Muslim) to be ranked in the FORBES Top 100 global list of venture capitalists (and No. 8 at that!). Can we not conceive of normal business reasons why ePlanet chooses to meet with prominent Saudi investors?.. aren't we jumping the gun and assuming a lot?... who knows if the Ambassador was present because the subject matter of the meeting would have been very beneficial to Pakistan, perhaps attracting investment into the country and creating jobs?.... after all the British Ambassador would be only to happy to assist leading private British companies to sell products to Gulf investors? why not the Pakistan Ambassador? my point is that we should celebrate a Pakistani success story like ePlanet, so that there are many more ePlanet's, and Pakistan can become a big success, Insha'Allah! Please celebrate our successes, rather than pull them down.

Anonymous said...

This is truely insane to believe such a ridiculous theory. Mr Asad is one of many pakistanis doing legitimate business abroad, His venture has been a success MashAllah. People liek yourself who live in their close mindedness give rise to BS theories like these, and pitty on people who take it fro granted.

Destitute Rebel said...

The point here is not what Bilal and Asad Jamal are doing in the meeting it is what His Excellency is doing sitting like an idiot. Eplanet ventures is a silicon valley based firm with offices in several countries including INDIA, but they don’t have a presense in Pakistan, The ambassador has no business being there, for that matter the meeting would have been hard to arrange without the presidents help, the fact the Bilal Musharraf is working for eplanet is that he gets to open lots of doors for Asad Jamal by being the president’s son.

I have been an expat for over 15 years the pressence of Ambassadors in business deals of companies based in america is not part of their official duties, I know numerous businessmen and enterprenuers who don’t have the privalage of their countries ambassador sitting like a lame duck in their meeting to “facilitate” them. Try going to any Pakistani Embassy abroad for a problem without a “PAWA” and see what kind of a protocol you get.