Senate panel briefed on NAB accomplishments

ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on Housing and Works visited the headquarters of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Tuesday, where members were briefed on the bureau’s performance, with particular focus on matters linked to the housing sector.

The committee meeting was chaired by Senator Nasir Mehmood and attended by Senators Haji Hidayatullah Khan, Khalida Ateeb, Husna Bano, Jan Mohammad and Naseema Ahsan. The secretary of Housing and Works, along with senior officials of the Federal Government Employees Housing Authority (FGEHA) and the Pakistan Housing Authority (PHA), also attended the session.

NAB Chairman Lt Gen (retd) Nazir Ahmed informed the committee about changes in the bureau’s operating approach and outlined what he described as recent progress in addressing white-collar crime. The committee was also told about structural changes introduced to improve the institution’s credibility and working efficiency.

Reforms and operational changes

According to the briefing, a key reform has been the creation of a Central Complaint Cell to examine the authenticity of allegations at an early stage. The committee was informed that the mechanism was intended to discourage mala fide and frivolous complaints, and that this had led to an increase in genuine reporting while reducing what was described as an earlier atmosphere of fear and suppression.

Lawmakers were further told that Accountability Facilitation Cells had been set up for parliamentarians and bureaucrats, while Business Facilitation Cells had been established for the private sector. The meeting was informed that these steps had helped restore public confidence and contributed to a more stable economic environment.

The NAB chairman also told the committee that the bureau was using modern tools, including Artificial Intelligence, to make inquiries and investigations more efficient. The briefing added that this internal modernisation was being supported by a stronger internal accountability system and wider international engagement. In this regard, the committee was informed that memorandums of understanding had been signed with anti-corruption organisations in Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Nigeria and other countries.

Recovery figures and housing fraud compensation

Financial details shared during the meeting showed that NAB recovered Rs14.485 trillion between June 2023 and March 2026. The figure included 4.96 million acres of state and forest land, valued at Rs14 trillion, according to the briefing.

The committee was also told that NAB had compensated 129,272 victims of housing and finance fraud, with Rs223.94 billion disbursed among affected people.

On anti-money laundering, the bureau informed lawmakers that 39 high-profile cases involving assets worth Rs127 billion were under process, while assets valued at Rs85.4 billion had already been frozen.

Housing sector concerns

During the session, committee members raised specific questions about irregularities in public and private housing schemes. In response, the NAB chief said reforms were being introduced in the housing sector that would revive the industry and significantly reduce the likelihood of corruption.

At the conclusion of the visit, Senator Nasir Mehmood expressed the committee’s support for NAB’s efforts aimed at transparency. He also reiterated the Senate’s commitment to ensuring that government-run housing schemes remain protected from exploitation and that those involved in housing-related malpractice are dealt with strictly in accordance with the law.