The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has significantly intensified its crackdown on corruption in Pakistan by escalating the Kohistan scandal from an inquiry to a full-scale investigation. This decisive move has already yielded a recovery and freezing of assets valued at Rs25 billion.

At the center of the investigation is contractor Muhammad Ayub, who was taken into custody and has since become a key figure in the probe. His questioning has uncovered a complex web of illicit transactions involving politically connected individuals.

The operation uncovered and seized Rs1 billion in cash and foreign currency, alongside three kilograms of gold—assets that were being unlawfully held. Additionally, NAB froze 73 bank accounts, recovering Rs5 billion in liquid assets.

Authorities also confiscated 77 high-end vehicles, collectively worth over Rs940 million, as well as extensive real estate holdings. These included 30 houses, 25 apartments, 12 commercial plazas, 12 shops, 4 farmhouses, several penthouses, and 175 kanals of agricultural land.

The seized properties are spread across key urban centers, including Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Peshawar, Abbottabad, and Mansehra, with an estimated combined market value exceeding Rs17 billion.

NAB’s actions underscore its renewed focus on high-profile corruption cases, particularly those that involve public funds and illicit enrichment through real estate and luxury assets.