The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has reported a record recovery of Rs2,452 billion during the second quarter of the current year, taking its total recovery in the first half of the year to Rs5,414 billion.
According to the NAB report, government land measuring 1,078,283 acres was retrieved in Balochistan, Sindh, Punjab, and Islamabad during the period.
NAB Sukkur emerged as the top-performing regional bureau in terms of recoveries. With the cooperation of the Sindh Board of Revenue and the Forest Department, NAB Sukkur recovered 853,678 acres of land belonging to the National Highway Authority (NHA), forests, and irrigation departments. The recovered land is estimated to be worth Rs1.01 trillion.
NAB Balochistan recovered 209,544 acres of land, including areas belonging to the Coastal Highway, Gwadar Industrial Estate Development Authority (GIEDA), and forest lands containing important natural resources such as Hingol National Park. The estimated value of the recovered land is Rs604.64 billion.
NAB Karachi retrieved 11,422 acres of government land that had allegedly been illegally allotted or transferred through suspicious leases to housing societies and individuals. The value of this land is estimated at Rs467.11 billion.
The NAB Lahore office recovered 1,909 acres of land belonging to PCBL and other government departments, valued at Rs288.29 billion.
NAB Islamabad/Rawalpindi recovered 810 acres of land comprising CDA welfare plots from various housing societies, with an estimated value of Rs66.63 billion. NAB Multan also recovered 920 acres of government land worth Rs2.76 billion.
The report stated that in housing and financial fraud cases, more than 24,365 affected individuals were returned misappropriated funds and assets worth Rs42.303 billion.
NAB further said that it has shifted towards a paperless e-office system and an artificial intelligence-based automated mechanism. The AI-driven system will use machine learning to identify patterns in complex and important cases and assist in speeding up investigations.
According to NAB, the AI-based investigation process will minimize human discretion. The Pakistan Anti-Corruption Academy (PACA) has also been fully activated as a Centre of Excellence to improve professional training requirements of its workforce.
NAB reiterated its commitment to eliminating corruption through the swift recovery of public funds, restoration of stolen state assets, preventive measures, and public awareness campaigns. The bureau claimed that from March 2023 to June 2026, it recovered Rs16,938 billion as part of its ongoing anti-corruption efforts.
The accountability body said it remains committed to promoting transparency, accountability, and good governance in Pakistan through a combination of enforcement, prevention, and awareness initiatives.
About The Author
