NAB recovers over Rs6 billion assets in Kohistan scam, hands over to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government
PESHAWAR: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has achieved a major breakthrough in the Kohistan financial corruption scandal by handing over recovered assets worth more than 6 billion rupees to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government. The assets were formally transferred during a special ceremony where NAB Chairman Lieutenant General (Retired) Nazir Ahmed handed them over to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Secretary Shahab Ali Shah.
According to NAB officials, the total value of assets recovered and handed over in the initial phase exceeds 6 billion rupees. The recovered assets include 5 billion rupees in cash, one kilogram of gold, 12 luxury vehicles, and 18 valuable properties. All these assets were recovered as a result of lengthy and systematic investigations into the Kohistan scam.
Speaking at the ceremony, Director General NAB Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Farmanullah provided details of the case. He revealed that the annual budget of the underdeveloped district of Kohistan is less than 500 million rupees. Despite this, state resources were looted on a massive scale through fake companies, a fraudulent contracting system, and an organized financial network in the district.
The Kohistan scandal is considered one of the biggest corruption cases in the history of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Investigations revealed that a well-organized network of corrupt officials, fake contractors, and front companies systematically siphoned off government funds meant for development projects in the poverty-stricken district. The scam involved embezzlement of funds allocated for infrastructure projects, social welfare programs, and public works.
NAB’s investigation uncovered that fake companies were registered using forged documents and identity papers. These companies would win government contracts without actually having any capability to execute development work. The funds released for these contracts were then laundered through multiple bank accounts and invested in luxury vehicles, valuable properties, and gold purchases.
NAB Chairman Lieutenant General (Retired) Nazir Ahmed stated on the occasion that the Bureau remains committed to eradicating corruption from the country and recovering looted public wealth. He emphasized that NAB will continue its investigations to identify and prosecute all individuals involved in the Kohistan scam.
Chief Secretary Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Shahab Ali Shah thanked NAB for its efforts in recovering the stolen assets. He assured that the recovered amount would be utilized for the welfare and development of the people of Kohistan district.
The successful recovery of assets in the Kohistan scam has been widely praised by anti-corruption activists and civil society members, who see it as a positive step towards accountability and transparency in public spending.
