Eight more arrested in Rs40bn Kohistan corruption scam

PESHAWAR: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, has arrested eight more accused in the Rs40 billion Kohistan mega corruption scam, raising the total number of arrests to 26.

Eighteen accused have already been arrested, including the alleged mastermind, Qaiser Iqbal, who was serving as head clerk in the C&W Department. The latest arrests include government officials, contractors and individuals allegedly involved in the large-scale financial fraud.

According to NAB, those arrested on October 21, 2025, include Ulfat Ali (Assistant Account Officer, District Accounts Office Kohistan), Abdul Basit Jadoon (official of C&W Department), Sartaj Khan (contractor), Sher Baz (official of District Accounts Office Kohistan), Imran Khan (relative of accused Qaiser Iqbal), Faheem Moeen Khan (relative of accused Qaiser Iqbal), and Syed Moheez Haider Bukhari (beneficiary of crime proceeds). In addition, contractor Muhammad Yahya has also been arrested.

Sources said the embezzlement occurred during the PTI government’s tenure from 2019 to December 2024. The scam exposed deep-rooted collusion among government officers, contractors and banking officials, who withdrew billions of rupees from the national treasury through fake companies and fabricated documents.

During the investigation, NAB recovered and froze assets worth billions of rupees. So far, over Rs1.58 billion in cash, foreign currency, and more than 3 kilograms of gold have been recovered.

As many as 114 bank accounts, containing over Rs5.79 billion, have been frozen. NAB has also seized 88 luxury vehicles, including Porsche Taycan, Toyota Land Cruiser, Lexus, Fortuner, Revo, BMW, Mercedes, Ford Mustang, and Audi.

Moreover, 183 properties located in various cities including Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Peshawar, Abbottabad, and Mansehra have been frozen. These include four farmhouses, 12 commercial plazas, two commercial plots, 30 houses, 12 shops and food courts, 25 flats and penthouses, 175 kanals of agricultural land and a large number of commercial and residential plots. According to NAB officials, the investigation is progressing swiftly, and more high-profile arrests are expected in the coming days.