NAB safeguards national assets worth over Rs241 billion in major two-month achievement

Islamabad: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has protected national assets and public resources worth approximately Rs241.408 billion through three major initiatives undertaken by its Islamabad/Rawalpindi office over the past two months, marking a significant contribution towards safeguarding state-owned property and preventing the misuse of public wealth.

The achievements include securing thousands of kanals of Pakistan Railways land, resolving a longstanding dispute over strategically important mineral deposits required for the Diamer-Bhasha Dam Project, and facilitating the transfer of valuable amenity land to the Capital Development Authority (CDA).

According to a NAB statement, the initiatives reflect the bureau’s continued efforts to protect national assets, address longstanding institutional and administrative disputes, and ensure that valuable public resources remain under the control of relevant government authorities.

The developments have been achieved under the leadership of NAB Chairman Lieutenant General (Retd.) Nazir Ahmed and through the efforts of Director General NAB Islamabad/Rawalpindi Muhammad Rizwan Khan, with particular emphasis on institutional coordination, constructive engagement and the resolution of complex matters involving public assets.

In one of the major achievements, NAB Islamabad/Rawalpindi facilitated the securing and mutation of 3,927 kanals of Pakistan Railways land spread across Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Jhelum, Chakwal and Murree, with an estimated value of Rs118 billion.

The initiative involved sustained coordination and engagement with relevant stakeholders to ensure the protection of valuable state-owned land against encroachment and unauthorised occupation. The completion of the process has strengthened the legal and administrative position of Pakistan Railways over its land assets, preventing their potential misuse and safeguarding a substantial portion of public property.

In another significant development with far-reaching implications for a major national infrastructure project, NAB facilitated the resolution of a longstanding dispute involving the Pozzolan mining lease in the Gini area of Gilgit-Baltistan.

Following the intervention and facilitation, the Government of Gilgit-Baltistan set aside the previous lease arrangement and granted a fresh mining lease in favour of WAPDA/DBDC.

The resolution has secured access to approximately 27.4 million tons of Pozzolan deposits, a strategically important resource for the Diamer-Bhasha Dam Project, with an estimated value of Rs123 billion.

The availability of these mineral deposits is significant for facilitating the construction and development requirements of the major hydropower project. By helping resolve the prolonged lease dispute, NAB’s initiative has protected an important national resource while removing an administrative obstacle affecting access to material required for a strategically important development undertaking.

The third achievement involved facilitating the transfer of 272.3 kanals of amenity land to the Capital Development Authority, the relevant regulatory authority, with an estimated market value of Rs408.45 million.

The transfer has placed the valuable land under the control of the concerned public authority, helping preserve its designated amenity purpose and preventing potential unauthorised occupation, misuse or diversion for purposes inconsistent with its intended public use.

Collectively, the three initiatives represent the indirect recovery and protection of national assets valued at approximately Rs241.408 billion within a period of just two months.

The achievements highlight NAB’s role beyond conventional accountability proceedings, demonstrating how institutional coordination, administrative intervention and constructive engagement can help protect public wealth and resolve complicated disputes involving government assets.

NAB’s Islamabad/Rawalpindi office has reaffirmed its commitment to protecting national resources, strengthening institutional accountability and ensuring that state-owned properties and strategically important resources are preserved for the benefit of the country and its people.

The latest developments underscore the importance of effective oversight and inter-institutional cooperation in preventing the loss of public assets and ensuring that valuable national resources are utilised in accordance with their intended purposes.