ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has reported recoveries of state land and other assets worth approximately Rs9.2 trillion during the third quarter of 2026, bringing its cumulative recoveries for the first nine months of the year to Rs14.6 trillion.
According to a quarterly performance report issued on October 19, NAB’s recovery operations focused on reclaiming valuable government land, identifying misappropriated state properties and recovering public resources through coordinated efforts with federal and provincial departments.
The bureau said its sustained initiatives resulted in recoveries valued at Rs9.18 trillion between July and September 2026, compared with Rs5.41 trillion recovered during the first two quarters of the year.
NAB described the third-quarter performance as a 169 percent increase compared with the combined recoveries of the preceding six months.
Following what it described as encouraging results from State Assets Task Forces operating in Punjab and Sindh, NAB established six joint task forces in collaboration with Pakistan Railways at its regional bureaus.
These task forces were assigned to identify, trace and recover railway land that had been misappropriated or remained outside the department’s effective control.
According to NAB, the initiative resulted in the recovery of 235,622 kanals, equivalent to approximately 29,453 acres, of Pakistan Railways land valued at Rs6.78 trillion.
The bureau said the recovered properties included valuable land parcels in important urban and commercial locations, representing a significant development in efforts to restore railway assets.
In addition to railway properties, NAB reported the recovery of 866,299 acres of land belonging to provincial government departments, including the Forest, Revenue and Highways departments.
The provincial land recoveries were valued at Rs2.395 trillion, bringing the combined third-quarter recovery of state assets to approximately Rs9.18 trillion.
NAB Sukkur reports Rs5.06 trillion railway land recovery
Providing a region-wise breakdown, NAB said its Sukkur regional bureau recovered 51.41 acres of land belonging to the Provincial Revenue Department, valued at Rs1.14 billion.
The regional bureau also reported recovering 179,072 kanals of Pakistan Railways land worth Rs5.06 trillion.
According to the statement, the railway properties were situated near prime urban areas of Karachi Division, making them among the most valuable assets identified during the recovery campaign.
Balochistan bureau recovers over 811,000 acres of forest land
NAB Balochistan continued its efforts to identify government land that had either not been properly recorded in official ownership registers or had allegedly been misappropriated.
The bureau reported recovering 811,967 acres of Forest Department land valued at Rs1.71 trillion.
NAB said the recovery formed part of its broader initiative to identify and restore public properties through coordination with the relevant provincial authorities.
NAB Multan recovers state land worth over Rs1.66 trillion
The Multan regional bureau reported recovering 43,028 acres of land belonging to provincial Revenue, Forest and Highways departments.
The recovered provincial properties were valued at Rs102.97 billion.
In addition, NAB Multan recovered 49,426 kanals of Pakistan Railways land worth Rs1.56 trillion.
The combined recoveries reflected the bureau’s efforts to identify and reclaim government properties across its jurisdiction.
Lahore bureau reports recoveries exceeding Rs719 billion
NAB Lahore reported the recovery of 4,380 acres of valuable provincial government land worth Rs563.07 billion.
The bureau also recovered 7,124 kanals of Pakistan Railways land valued at Rs156.10 billion.
The recoveries formed part of the coordinated national campaign to restore government ownership and control over public assets.
NAB KP recovers land worth Rs16.16 billion
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa regional bureau reported recovering 6,872 acres of land belonging to the provincial Forest and Revenue departments.
The recovered properties were valued at Rs16.16 billion.
Meanwhile, NAB Islamabad/Rawalpindi and NAB Khyber Pakhtunkhwa jointly reported recoveries of Rs2.22 billion through plea bargain arrangements in cases involving Bahria Town and the Kohistan scam.
The bureau included these recoveries in its third-quarter performance report.
Rs908.42 million distributed among 4,280 affected people
Apart from recovering government assets, NAB said it continued efforts to provide financial relief to members of the public affected by corruption and financial irregularities.
During the third quarter of 2026, the bureau disbursed Rs908.42 million among 4,280 affected individuals.
According to NAB, the payments were transferred directly into the beneficiaries’ bank accounts to facilitate the distribution of recovered funds.
The bureau said the initiative reflected its commitment to ensuring that recoveries also provided financial relief to affected members of the public.
NAB introduces AI-based investigation system
As part of its institutional reforms, NAB announced the introduction of an artificial intelligence-based investigation system named NAB EYE.
The bureau said the system was designed to minimise human discretion and errors while accelerating investigation processes.
According to the statement, the initiative represents a shift towards technology-driven accountability procedures aimed at improving efficiency and strengthening the investigation framework.
NAB also reported progress in institutional cooperation, saying it had signed two memorandums of understanding with other state institutions during the quarter.
The bureau said additional agreements were under consideration, including proposed arrangements with foreign counterparts, to strengthen cooperation and improve the implementation of anti-corruption measures.
Pakistan Anti-Corruption Academy expands training activities
NAB also highlighted capacity-building activities undertaken through the Pakistan Anti-Corruption Academy (PACA).
During the third quarter, the academy conducted three specialised training courses, one capacity-building course, one workshop, one learning programme and one promotional course.
The training activities were aimed at strengthening professional skills and improving institutional capacity in areas related to accountability and anti-corruption enforcement.
The bureau said professional development and institutional cooperation remained important components of its broader strategy to improve the effectiveness of anti-corruption operations.
NAB reports Rs26.1 trillion recoveries since March 2023
Highlighting its longer-term performance, NAB said it had recovered state assets and other resources worth Rs26.1 trillion between March 2023 and September 2026.
The bureau attributed the recoveries to sustained enforcement operations, coordinated institutional efforts and initiatives focused on identifying and reclaiming misappropriated public properties.
According to NAB, its anti-corruption strategy encompasses enforcement, prevention, deterrence, recovery of state assets and public awareness.
The bureau reiterated its commitment to protecting public resources, strengthening accountability and promoting transparency in the management of government assets.
It said coordinated efforts with federal and provincial institutions would continue to identify misappropriated properties, restore state ownership and strengthen the country’s accountability framework.
NAB maintained that its ongoing initiatives were intended to support transparent governance, safeguard public interests and improve institutional mechanisms for preventing corruption.