NAB Launches Formal Investigation into Rs40 Billion Kohistan Corruption Case

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The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has escalated its inquiry into a Rs40 billion corruption scandal in Kohistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), uncovering a web of fraud involving luxury assets and illicit funds. This article delves into the scandal’s scale, the recovered assets, and the systemic failures enabling it, urging robust accountability.

On July 16, 2025, NAB intensified its probe into what is dubbed KP’s largest financial fraud, recovering Rs25 billion in assets, including 77 luxury vehicles worth Rs940 million, such as Mercedes, BMW, and Porsche Taycan, per Geo.tv. The agency seized over Rs1 billion in cash, foreign currency, and three kilograms of gold, while freezing 73 bank accounts holding Rs5 billion. Additionally, 109 properties, including a bungalow featured in the drama Pari Zaad, 30 houses, and 25 flats across Islamabad, Peshawar, and Abbottabad, were confiscated. NAB arrested contractor Muhammad Ayub, who allegedly received Rs3 billion in illicit transfers, including funds used to buy a property from politician Azam Swati, per Dunya News.

The scandal, centered on the Communication and Works (C&W) Department, involved fake cheques and inflated project costs, siphoning funds from the Security and Deposit Works KP 10113 account, meant for development. A dumper driver’s account held Rs4.5 billion, exposing a sophisticated network of corrupt officials, contractors, and bankers, per Profit by Pakistan Today. The Public Accounts Committee (PAC), led by Speaker Babar Saleem Swati, criticized the Finance Department and Accountant General’s (AG) office for negligence, with 1,293 cheques missing from records, per The Nation. Swati demanded suspensions and a special audit, warning the scandal may exceed Rs40 billion.

This brazen fraud, undetected for years, highlights systemic rot in KP’s financial oversight. NAB’s crackdown is commendable, but the involvement of senior officials and possible political figures, as hinted on X, demands transparency. Pakistan cannot afford such plunder in a province where development funds are scarce. Swift justice and structural reforms are essential to restore public trust and prevent future scams.