NAB Returns Rs6bn to KP in Kohistan Corruption Case

The National Accountability Bureau has handed over more than Rs6 billion in recovered assets to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government in the Upper Kohistan corruption case, marking a major development in one of the province’s biggest public-funds investigations. The transfer took place in Islamabad on Tuesday, where NAB presented the recovered amount as the first stage of a wider asset recovery process.

According to officials, the case relates to alleged large-scale embezzlement through manipulation of treasury instruments and misuse of official financial procedures in Upper Kohistan over several years. Investigators said the financial irregularities involved public money that was allegedly diverted through official systems instead of being used for development and governance purposes.

NAB’s investigation found that the total amount traced in the case exceeded Rs37 billion. The anti-graft body said assets worth more than Rs27 billion had been frozen, while over Rs10 billion had been recovered through plea bargain arrangements and related legal procedures.

NAB Chairman Lt Gen retired Nazir Ahmad formally handed the recovered assets to the KP chief secretary during a ceremony. He said the recovery showed that complex financial crime could be investigated through evidence-based accountability work and that public resources must ultimately be restored for citizens’ benefit.

The assets returned to the provincial government reportedly include cash, precious metals, luxury vehicles and commercial and residential properties identified during the probe. Officials said the investigation required financial tracing, forensic scrutiny and coordinated work by NAB’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa team.

A major part of the probe focused on money trails linked to accounts allegedly used to move suspicious funds. Investigators examined more than 1,500 bank accounts and identified a key account connected to contractor Mumtaz Khan, which was allegedly used to channel large sums through the district accounts office.

The Kohistan case has remained under scrutiny since NAB authorised an inquiry in April 2024 following signs of irregular public spending. The scale of the alleged fraud drew attention because it involved treasury operations, official financial channels and public funds meant for a region that already faces development challenges.

For Pakistan, the recovery carries wider significance because corruption in public finance directly affects service delivery, infrastructure and public trust. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the case may also increase pressure on departments to improve internal checks, digitise payments and tighten oversight of district-level accounts.

The next stage will depend on further proceedings, frozen assets and recoveries still linked to the investigation. NAB is expected to continue pursuing the remaining money trail, while the KP government will face questions over how the recovered resources are documented, protected and used for public benefit.