NAB claims record Rs5.41tr recoveries in first half of 2026

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Tuesday claimed to have made direct and indirect recoveries worth Rs2.45 trillion during the second quarter of 2026, taking its total recoveries for the first six months of the year to Rs5.41tr, which it described as the highest-ever six-month recovery in the bureau's history.

In a statement, the anti-graft watchdog said a major component of the recoveries involved the retrieval of more than 1.07 million acres of state land across Balochistan, Sindh, Punjab and the Islamabad Capital Territory.

According to the bureau, NAB Sukkur emerged as the top-performing regional office, recovering 853,678 acres of land belonging to the National Highway Authority, forest and irrigation departments, valued at Rs1.01tr, in collaboration with the Sindh Board of Revenue and the provincial forest secretary.

Read: NAB recovers record Rs11.5tr in three years

The statement said NAB Balochistan recovered 209,544 acres of land, including Hingol National Park and land belonging to the Gwadar Industrial Estate Development Authority, valued at more than Rs600 billion.

It added that NAB offices in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad also made high-value recoveries involving thousands of acres of land worth more than Rs800b.

According to the bureau, NAB Karachi retrieved 11,422 acres of illegally allotted state land and housing society leases valued at Rs467.11b, while NAB Lahore recovered 1,909 acres of state and PCBL land worth Rs288.29b.

The statement said NAB Islamabad/Rawalpindi recovered 810 acres of Capital Development Authority amenity plots valued at Rs66.63b, while NAB Multan retrieved 920 acres of state land worth Rs2.76b.

Beyond land recoveries, the bureau said it provided relief in housing and financial fraud cases by returning Rs43.303b in recovered assets and funds to more than 24,365 affectees.

The statement also highlighted technological reforms within the bureau, saying NAB had fully transitioned to a paper-free e-office system and was undergoing a shift towards an AI-powered e-investigation regime.

According to the bureau, the system used machine learning to detect patterns, prioritise high-risk cases and analyse oral and documentary evidence, to minimise human discretion and produce evidence-based, tamper-proof testimony.

Also Read: Around 300 NAB cases under review after SC ruling

The statement added that the Pakistan Anti-Corruption Academy had also been fully operationalised as a centre of excellence to train the bureau's workforce.

NAB said its cumulative recoveries between March 2023 and June 2026 had reached Rs16.94tr and reiterated its zero-tolerance policy against corruption, pledging to continue its strategy of deterrence, prevention and public awareness to promote transparent governance.