Chapter 52: New Blood, New Ideas
The old Dewan empire, already weakened by debt, political pressure, and family disputes, now faced its most humiliating spectacle — open litigation in the courts of Karachi and Hyderabad.
For decades, the Dewans had been the ones who lobbied ministers, leaned on bureaucrats, and smoothed disputes with quiet deals. But by 2022, the internal conflicts had spilled over, and there was no turning back.
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Scene 1: The Karachi City Court
The morning heat pressed down on M.A. Jinnah Road as convoys of black Toyota Corollas lined up outside the Karachi City Court. Inside Courtroom No. 5, the Dewan family case was listed for hearing before Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar.
At one end of the bench sat lawyers representing Salman Dewan, who had filed for interim control of Dewan Cement, arguing that without decisive leadership, the creditors would liquidate the assets.
Across from him sat Ishtiaq Dewan's legal team, armed with affidavits alleging that Salman had acted unilaterally, misappropriating funds and holding secret negotiations with Lucky Cement.
The case file was thick with accusations and counter-accusations.
"Your Lordship," Salman's lawyer, Barrister Shahid Anwar, began, "my client seeks nothing but the preservation of the Dewan legacy. Creditors require clarity. Employees require certainty. Yet his own brother sabotages every effort to restructure. We submit documents showing he blocked investor meetings."
Ishtiaq's counsel, Advocate Abdul Hafeez Lakho, shot back.
"Preservation of legacy, or preservation of personal empire? My client presents evidence, Your Lordship, of funds transferred from Dewan Petroleum to private accounts controlled by Salman Dewan in Dubai. This is not stewardship. This is plunder."
Murmurs rippled through the packed courtroom. Among the observers were reporters from Dawn, The News, and Business Recorder, scribbling furiously.
Justice Mazhar raised his hand.
"This is not a fish market. Present facts, not drama. Both parties are Dewans — behave with dignity."
But dignity had long fled the empire.
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Scene 2: Leaked affidavits
Outside the court, journalists pounced on a leaked affidavit submitted by Ali Dewan, the younger cousin, who had initially played mediator but now sided with Salman.
The affidavit read:
> "I, Ali Farooqui Dewan, hereby testify that in meetings held at the Gulberg residence in Lahore, Ishtiaq Dewan openly threatened to withhold signatures on any restructuring deal unless he was granted exclusive control of Dewan Motors and Dewan Petroleum. His actions jeopardized not only family unity but also endangered agreements with creditors, including HBL and NBP."
The document, once leaked on social media, spread like wildfire. Headlines screamed:
"Dewan Feud Goes Public: Brothers Accuse Each Other of Sabotage."
For a public already skeptical of Pakistan's industrial families, it was confirmation of what they suspected — corruption, ego, and selfishness lay at the heart of their downfall.
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Scene 3: The Hyderabad connection
While the Karachi case dragged on, another front opened in Hyderabad, where Dewan Textile Mills had once provided livelihoods for thousands.
Here, former employees filed a petition against the family, demanding unpaid salaries and gratuities. The Sindh High Court's Hyderabad bench, presided over by Justice Amjad Ali Sahito, summoned both Salman and Ishtiaq.
The scene outside the court was tense — dozens of former mill workers, waving placards, chanting:
"Dewan hamara khoon choos raha hai!" (The Dewans are sucking our blood!)
Inside, their lawyer thundered:
"Your Lordship, while these gentlemen fight over empires in Karachi, my clients — humble workers — cannot feed their families. The mills are locked. Their children starve. Yet the Dewans still drive in convoys of Prados."
The judge, visibly angry, demanded a timeline for settlement. Both brothers mumbled excuses.
It was a stark reminder: the Dewan empire's collapse was not just a family affair. It had real victims.
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Scene 4: The rise of "new blood"
In the chaos, younger voices began to emerge.
Salman's daughter, Ayesha Dewan, a UK-educated MBA, proposed a radical plan. In a closed-door family meeting, she presented a PowerPoint on her laptop.
"We need to stop fighting over dead assets," she said firmly. "Textiles are gone. Cement is under litigation. The future is technology, renewable energy, and fintech. Look at the Saigals investing in solar. Look at the Nishat Group moving into banking apps. If the Dewans want to survive, we need to pivot."
Ishtiaq scoffed.
"Ayesha, you studied abroad, but you don't understand Pakistan. This is not Silicon Valley. Here, money comes from steel, cement, sugar — not apps."
But Ali, the cousin, leaned in.
"She has a point. Maybe it's time to let the next generation take charge. We, the so-called elders, have made a mess."
Ayesha's ideas unsettled the old guard but planted seeds for change.
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Scene 5: The media circus
Back in Karachi, each court hearing became a spectacle. Channels like Geo News and ARY ran tickers:
"DEWAN BROTHERS BATTLE IN COURTROOM."
Talk show hosts mocked them. On Capital Talk, Hamid Mir asked bluntly:
"Is this what Pakistan's industrial families have come to? Once, the Dewans challenged multinationals. Now, they challenge each other in court."
In one memorable moment, leaked audio of a courtroom exchange went viral:
Judge: "Mr. Salman Dewan, do you accept your brother's allegation of siphoning funds?"
Salman: "No, Your Lordship, I only saved the group from his mismanagement."
Ishtiaq (interrupting): "Saved? You nearly sold Dewan Cement for peanuts!"
Judge: "Order! Order!"
The clip, circulated on WhatsApp, became the butt of jokes in drawing rooms and dhabas alike.
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Scene 6: The regulators step in
The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP), long criticized for turning a blind eye, now launched its own inquiry. An SECP report leaked to journalists highlighted:
Misrepresentation of assets in Dewan Cement.
Undisclosed offshore accounts linked to both Salman and Ishtiaq.
Failure to disclose related-party transactions.
For the Dewans, already bleeding in court, this was another dagger.
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Scene 7: The Courtroom climax
In November 2022, the Karachi High Court convened for a crucial hearing. The room was packed. Justice Mazhar sat sternly as both sides prepared final arguments.
Salman's lawyer thundered:
"My Lord, this case is not just about assets. It is about saving thousands of jobs and billions in industrial capacity. Only decisive leadership — my client — can achieve that."
Ishtiaq's lawyer retorted:
"My Lord, this is about accountability. The empire crumbled because of reckless decisions by Salman. He must not be rewarded with control."
Then came a surprise: Ayesha Dewan requested to address the court. Though unusual, the judge allowed it.
Standing confidently, she said:
"My Lords, I am neither Salman nor Ishtiaq. I am their daughter and niece. I represent the future. If the court allows, I propose the appointment of an independent management board — professional executives, not family members. Let the Dewans step back, let professionals rebuild."
The courtroom buzzed. Some laughed, others nodded. The judge raised an eyebrow, intrigued.
"Perhaps," Justice Mazhar murmured, "the young lady has more wisdom than all of you."
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Scene 8: Aftermath
The court did not immediately decide but appointed an interim administrator for Dewan Cement, stripping both Salman and Ishtiaq of direct control.
It was a symbolic blow — for the first time in history, the Dewan empire's fate was not in Dewan hands.
But it also marked the rise of new blood, new ideas. Ayesha and other younger family members began informal talks with investors in technology and renewable energy, even as the elders sulked and plotted appeals.
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Reflection
The Dewan saga had moved from boardrooms to courtrooms, from unity to fracture, from dominance to humiliation. Yet in the rubble, a new possibility glimmered: perhaps the very family that symbolized Pakistan's old industrial order could, in the hands of its new generation, reinvent itself for a new era.
Whether that would happen — or whether the old grudges would drag them further down — remained an open question.
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