In a significant development in the multi-billion-rupee Kohistan corruption case, Pakistan’s top anti-graft body has moved to freeze the assets of seven additional suspects, pushing the total number of such actions in the case to 39.
Sources within the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) confirmed that the bureau has internally cleared a new round of asset freezing orders, which will now be submitted to the accountability court for formal approval. The latest list includes four men—identified as Habibullah, Riaz, Naseer, and Tauseef—as well as three women, whose identities have not been disclosed by investigators.
This escalation comes amid growing concerns over the scale and complexity of the Kohistan embezzlement scandal, which allegedly involves the siphoning of around Rs40 billion from public funds. NAB claims to have already recovered Rs25 billion, though investigations are ongoing and further arrests are anticipated.
Frontmen, Hidden Wealth, and High Stakes
Officials say the individuals in question are believed to have used benamidars—a common method in South Asian corruption schemes where assets are registered under the names of front persons to conceal true ownership. Some of the newly targeted properties are allegedly held by these benamidars.
The seized assets include a mix of movable and immovable property valued in the hundreds of millions of rupees. The move marks a notable tightening of the net around those involved in the scandal, which has sent shockwaves through the region.
Crackdown Continues
With the total number of asset freezes rising to 39, NAB appears to be intensifying its efforts to dismantle what it describes as a complex web of financial manipulation and misappropriation. While details of the wider investigation remain under wraps, the bureau has signaled that more high-profile names could surface as evidence unfolds.
The Kohistan case, involving alleged systemic embezzlement and misuse of public development funds, continues to draw public and political scrutiny. If proven, it would rank among the most extensive corruption scandals in recent years in Pakistan.
