Pakistan’s richest business group is not a company but the Army’s Fauji Foundation, valued at $6 billion: Report

While ordinary Pakistanis struggle with high prices and job losses, the country’s army has built itself into Pakistan’s largest business empire, according to an IANS report. A new Wealth Perception Index 2025 by the Economic Policy and Business Development Think Tank (EPBD) has listed the top 40 business groups in the country. Military-run entities dominate the ranking, including the first-ever list of potential dollar-billionaire conglomerates.

Billions under military control

“As of 2025, foreign estimates place the military’s business footprint at tens of billions of dollars annually, a staggering sum for a country grappling with persistent poverty and economic crisis,” the report revealed.

The Fauji Foundation tops the list at $5.9 billion, while nine other military-linked companies are each worth over $1 billion.

Not just defence, but everything

The army’s reach goes far beyond weapons. “Entities such as the Fauji Foundation, Army Welfare Trust, and Defence Housing Authority (DHA) command assets in banking, agriculture, manufacturing, real estate, education, and retail. These organisations benefit from tax exemptions, privileged access to state land, and regulatory protections that insulate them from normal market competition,” the report said.

This concentration of wealth gives retired and serving officers enormous control, while civilian businesses struggle to survive.

Poverty vs. tanks and planes

Despite Pakistan’s dependence on IMF loans, the army continues to spend heavily on tanks and fighter jets. Meanwhile, families face soaring unemployment and shrinking incomes. Pakistan’s per capita income is stuck at $6,950 in 2025, far below its neighbours, according to the Observer. Inequality between cities and villages is also rising.

The World Bank’s 2025 findings paint a bleak picture: 44.7 per cent of Pakistan’s population lives below the poverty line of $4.20 per day. Even more alarming, 16.5 per cent — about 39.8 million people — live in extreme poverty, earning less than $3 per day, compared to just 4.9 per cent earlier.

At nearly $6 billion, Pakistan Army’s Fauji Foundation is on par with some mid-sized Indian corporates such as Apollo Hospitals or JSW Energy, but remains far smaller than giants like HDFC Bank ($145 billion) or the Tata Group ($436 billion).