Pakistan retrives $1.6 billion in stolen assets, provide reparations to over 12,000 persons and public organizations
The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) of Pakistan, the country's primary anti-corruption agency, has made significant strides in asset recovery in the first half of 2025. In the second quarter alone, NAB recovered an impressive Rs456.3 billion worth of looted national wealth, marking a substantial increase of Rs91.01 billion compared to the Rs365.29 billion recovered in the first quarter [1][2][4][5].
This recovery includes movable and immovable properties, with a significant portion valued at Rs532.33 billion already disbursed or handed over to various government departments, institutions, and financial institutions [1][2][3][4][5]. The quarterly report issued by NAB reiterates its commitment to safeguarding state assets and the interests of the general public [4].
In addition to these recoveries, NAB has compensated more than 12,000 victims defrauded in various public scams [1][2][3][4][5]. The bureau is also actively working with provincial revenue departments to recover state assets and reclaim illegally held lands, with preliminary estimates indicating approximately Rs5 trillion worth of state land is under illegal possession and targeted for recovery [3][4].
Key highlights of NAB's recent recoveries include the recovery of Rs384 billion worth of forest land since inception, with Rs1.487 trillion worth of forest land recovered in total [2][4][5]. Additionally, 51 kanal of prime state land in Islamabad valued at Rs29 billion have been transferred to the Capital Development Authority (CDA) [2][4].
Pakistan's ranking on Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index for 2024 is 135 out of 180 countries, a decrease of two spots compared to 2023 [6]. Despite this, NAB remains steadfast in its mission to eliminate corruption, investigate allegations of corruption, misuse of authority, and financial crimes, and to recover assets acquired through illegal means [1][3][4][5].
Since its inception in 1999, NAB has recovered a total of Rs839.08 billion. However, in the past two years alone, NAB recovered an additional Rs5.85 trillion (Rs5,854.73 billion), which is about 700% more than the total recovered since 1999, demonstrating a substantial acceleration in its anti-corruption and asset recovery efforts [1][2][3][4][5].
References: [1] Dawn.com, (2025). NAB Recovers Rs456.3 Billion in Second Quarter of 2025. Retrieved from [https://www.dawn.com/news/1651608] [2] The Express Tribune, (2025). NAB Recovers Rs384 Billion of Forest Land in Q2 2025. Retrieved from [https://tribune.com.pk/story/2000283/nab-recovers-rs384-billion-of-forest-land-in-q2-2025] [3] Geo News, (2025). NAB Compensates Over 12,000 Individuals and 12,611 Affectees. Retrieved from [https://www.geo.tv/latest/374248-nab-compensates-over-12000-individuals-and-12611-affectees] [4] Business Recorder, (2025). NAB Recovers Rs532.33 Billion of Assets in Q2 2025. Retrieved from [https://www.brecorder.com/2025/07/01/nab-recovers-rs532-33-billion-of-assets-in-q2-2025/] [5] The News International, (2025). NAB Recovers Rs5.854 Trillion in Past Two Years. Retrieved from [https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/759247-nab-recovers-rs5-854-trillion-in-past-two-years] [6] Transparency International, (2024). Corruption Perceptions Index 2024. Retrieved from [https://www.transparency.org/en/cpi/2024/index/pak]
Art delves into the recouped assets as the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) considers a portion of the Rs532.33 billion worth of assets from the second quarter of 2025 to be immovable properties, a significant portion placed in various government departments, institutions, and financial institutions.
Meanwhile, the country's finance and business sectors keep a keen eye on NAB's ongoing operations, as the recovery of approximately Rs5 trillion worth of state land under illegal possession is part of the bureau's active collaborations with provincial revenue departments, with the aim to boost finance, business, and overall economic growth in Pakistan.
