NAB probes alleged Rs8bn irregularities in Lyari Expressway resettlement project

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has completed its preliminary inquiry into alleged irregularities worth billions of rupees in the Lyari Expressway resettlement project in Karachi, officials said on Monday. Following the inquiry, the case has now been upgraded to a formal investigation.

According to NAB sources, initial findings revealed serious irregularities including illegal land allotments, “China cutting,” and issuance of fake allotment orders in the project meant for the rehabilitation of displaced residents. The inquiry uncovered evidence suggesting widespread misuse of authority during the allocation process.

During raids conducted as part of the investigation, NAB teams recovered thousands of plot files and related documents. Officials said that nearly 65 percent of the seized records contained suspicious or fake allotment orders. These documents reportedly carried forged signatures of assistant directors (land) and executive engineers.

In connection with the case, six individuals, including government officials, have been placed on the Passport Control List to prevent them from leaving the country while investigations continue.

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NAB sources further revealed that around 20 acres of land from the project area was allegedly sold fraudulently to outside parties, raising concerns about large-scale corruption and mismanagement.

The Lyari Expressway resettlement project was originally launched as a joint initiative between the federal and provincial governments, with funding shared at 67 percent and 33 percent respectively. It was designed to rehabilitate approximately 250,000 residents displaced due to the expressway construction that began in 2001.

Investigators have also recommended a separate inquiry into alleged financial irregularities amounting to Rs8 billion within the project. Authorities say further evidence will be collected to identify all individuals involved and determine the extent of the financial damage caused to the public exchequer.

The case is now expected to move into an intensified investigation phase, with accountability proceedings likely to follow.