Faran Tahir as Zafar Iqbal Burki

Burki was a precocious child, famously declaring at nine, “…you know, it’s never too early to network,” carrying a briefcase to grade school and sporting a Gordon Gekko poster on his wall. Self-taught in complex financial strategies, Burki made his first fortune through an Indonesian gold mining fraud, inflating the mine’s value by adding real gold to samples. He escaped jail by bribing Jakarta prosecutors, leaving an innocent geologist to serve four years in prison, a sentence reduced through further bribes. Burki’s current fortune lies in managing Chinese graveyards, a business shrouded in secrecy. Married to a Filipino heiress to a casino tycoon, he faces ongoing tension with his father-in-law, who even contracted a hit on him, only to have it called off by his daughter. Burki is known for his frugality, love for free drinks, and annoying Will Ferrell quotes, though he genuinely respects his service staff.
Despite his wealth, he wears platform shoes out of fear of falling and is driven by an insatiable desire for more. His six-month stint in Kuwaiti prison for bogus leasing deals, unknown to most, had a significant impact on him. Burki’s role on the World Bank’s regional audit council, though marked by secrecy (e.g., his office locks being changed without his knowledge), has provided him with diplomatic leverage akin to that of Putin’s oligarchs. Today, he lays low, engaging in philanthropy and high-profile fundraising while justifying his substantial cuts as market-making. His impressive network ensures he is tolerated by figures like Inspector Jamshed and Khan Rehman, although the geologist wronged by him is plotting revenge.