The National Accountability Bureau (NAB), Pakistan’s anti-graft agency, has arrested Muhammad Ayaz in the Kohistan corruption scandal and produced him before an accountability court in Peshawar. On 30 October the court placed him on seven days’ physical remand so investigators can question him further.
According to the NAB prosecutor, Rs111.1 million tied to the Kohistan corruption scandal was recovered from Ayaz’s bank account. NAB had asked for 14 days’ custody; Accountability Judge Muhammad Zafar approved seven.
Remand and what NAB told the court
Prosecutors told the court that Ayaz’s brother, Muhammad Riaz, worked as a cashier at the National Bank and is already in jail over alleged embezzlement of Rs10 billion in the Kohistan scandal. NAB alleges Riaz moved embezzled money into his brother’s account.
Ayaz is also accused of creating a fake construction firm in the name of development projects. The prosecution said no development work was carried out at the designated sites, while about Rs111.1 million was allegedly misappropriated.
Alleged method and scale of the case
NAB’s case, as put to the court, centres on public development funds in Kohistan that were meant for projects on the ground. Instead, prosecutors say, a paper firm was used to cover transfers, with a large sum later traced to Ayaz’s bank account.
The wider probe treats the Kohistan matter as a mega case: the alleged overall embezzlement cited before the court is Rs10 billion, with Riaz already in custody and Ayaz now under remand. Further investigation during the seven-day period is expected to dig into how the money moved and who else took part.
Timeline: what has happened so far
- Before 30 October: Muhammad Riaz, a National Bank cashier, was already in jail in connection with the alleged Rs10 billion Kohistan embezzlement.
- 30 October: NAB arrested Muhammad Ayaz as another suspect in the Kohistan mega corruption case.
- 30 October: He was produced before the accountability court in Peshawar.
- 30 October: The NAB prosecutor told the court Rs111.1 million had been recovered from Ayaz’s bank account and that a fake construction firm was used while no work was done at project sites.
- 30 October: Judge Muhammad Zafar granted NAB seven days’ physical remand after the bureau sought 14 days.
Aasan alfaaz mein
Kohistan ke corruption case mein NAB ne Muhammad Ayaz ko pakra hai. Court ne usay saat din NAB ke paas rakha hai taake poochh gachh ho sake. Us ke account se 11 crore 11 lakh rupay baramad hone ka ilzam hai, jo logon ke development ke paise se jude bataye gaye hain. Matlab yeh ke woh raqam roads aur projects par kharch honi chahiye thi, lekin ab yeh case court aur NAB ke paas chal raha hai.
