Balochistan, NAB recover state land worth billions across several districts

QUETTA: The Balochistan government and the National Accountability Bureau have reclaimed large tracts of state land in multiple districts, with officials saying the recoveries were part of a wider campaign against encroachments and irregular land transfers.

The operation was carried out by NAB Balochistan in coordination with the provincial government under directives from NAB headquarters. The initiative was launched on the instructions of the Balochistan chief minister and with support from the Board of Revenue and the Forest Department, with the stated aim of protecting state assets, improving accountability and recovering public land.

Preliminary scrutiny of forest land in 2025 found that there was no formal government record for the transfer of around 2.8 million acres belonging to the Forest Department. Following this, NAB Balochistan began action under directions from the NAB chairman.

Recoveries reported in 2025 and 2026

During 2025, more than one million acres of state land were retrieved, with the value of the recoveries estimated at Rs1,370 billion. it as one of the largest land recovery exercises in the country’s history.

Operations continued in 2026 and led to the recovery of about 260,000 acres in Quetta, Sibi, Sherani, Hub, Lasbela and Gwadar, with an estimated total value of Rs414.2 billion. In Quetta alone, more than 47,000 acres were recovered, valued at Rs363 billion.

District-wise figures included around 176,000 acres in Gwadar worth Rs25 billion, 17,000 acres in Lasbela worth Rs2 billion, 153 acres in Hub worth Rs500 million, 15,000 acres in Sherani worth Rs29 billion, and 2,861 acres in Sibi worth Rs2 billion.

Land records digitisation under way

The senior member Board of Revenue Balochistan and the Forest Department played a central role in the operation, highlighting what officials described as strong coordination between departments.

NAB said it would continue pursuing a zero-tolerance approach towards corruption and land mafias, adding that illegal occupation of state land would not be accepted. The bureau also said future action would proceed in a transparent, lawful and non-discriminatory manner.

Work is also continuing on the recovery of remaining encroached land and on the introduction of modern land management systems to reduce future irregularities. Efforts are under way to digitise land records and improve monitoring, while the digitisation of Gwadar’s land record is in its final stage. The reclaimed land is being handed over to the Forest and Wildlife departments for use in the public interest.