The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has launched a comprehensive scrutiny of assets owned by former ministers and government officials, along with development projects and contracts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, amid allegations of irregularities during the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government. According to NAB sources, the bureau has obtained records of assets belonging to a former chief minister and two former ministers.
It is also collecting details of development projects and contracts awarded during the tenure of Chief Minister Sohail Afridi. The sources said the bureau was examining records concerning expenditures on development schemes, the award of contracts, and construction work carried out during the relevant period.
In this connection, the Communication and Works (C&W) Department has reportedly been asked to provide details of roads constructed during Sohail Afridi's tenure, ongoing and completed projects, the number of contracts awarded, and the contractors who secured them. Relevant departments have also been directed to submit records regarding the approval of development schemes, the allocation of contracts, and construction activities to facilitate the examination of alleged irregularities.
NAB sources further said notices had been issued to the Revenue Department, the registrar of the Defence Housing Authority (DHA), the Peshawar Development Authority (PDA), and other relevant departments to obtain information about the assets and properties of former government officials. The sources said the bureau would review the available property and asset records before deciding whether or not to summon the political leaders concerned for questioning.
The accountability watchdog, the sources said, is also examining allegations of illegal recruitment and corruption involving officials during the PTI government's tenure, with relevant records being collected for scrutiny. "NAB will decide its next course of action after examining the relevant documents and available evidence," an official said, adding that no final findings had been announced to substantiate the allegations against the political leaders or officials concerned.
"The ongoing scrutiny does not, in itself, establish wrongdoing by any individual," he added. The bureau maintains that the process is part of its standard procedure to ensure transparency and accountability in public office.
The investigation is expected to widen as more departments are being engaged to provide audit trails for the funds utilized during the previous provincial administration. Analysts suggest that this move marks a significant step in the ongoing accountability drive within the province.
The bureau has reiterated that all actions are being taken in accordance with the law, and the privacy of individuals will be respected until concrete evidence of financial misconduct is established through the ongoing audit process.