ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Balochistan has recovered approximately 260,000 acres of state land worth over Rs414 billion in various districts of the province, describing the operation as a major step towards protecting public assets and restoring state authority.
According to NAB, an initial inspection of forest land in 2025 revealed that there was no formal record of land transfer for nearly 2.8 million acres belonging to the Forest Department. Taking notice of the issue, NAB Balochistan launched a large-scale operation against illegal occupation of state land.
The bureau said that more than one million acres of government land were recovered in 2025, resulting in the restoration of assets valued at approximately Rs1.37 trillion. It described the campaign as one of the largest land recovery operations in Pakistan’s history.
Building on that momentum, NAB intensified its efforts in 2026 and recovered around 260,000 acres of land in Quetta, Sibi, Sherani, Hub, Lasbela and Gwadar, with an estimated value of Rs414.2 billion.
The recovered land comprises 47,000 acres worth Rs354 billion in Quetta, 2,861 acres valued at Rs2.3 billion in Sibi, 15,000 acres worth Rs29 billion in Sherani, 153 acres valued at Rs50 billion in Hub, 17,000 acres worth Rs2.2 billion in Lasbela, and 176,000 acres valued at Rs25 billion in Gwadar.
All of the recovered land belongs to the Forest and Wildlife Department, according to NAB.
The bureau credited the Government of Balochistan, the Senior Member Board of Revenue (SMBR), and the Forest and Wildlife Department for their support, saying such achievements would not have been possible without close inter-departmental coordination.
NAB said efforts are continuing to recover the remaining encroached government land. Authorities are also working to strengthen land management through digitalization, modern record-keeping systems and enhanced monitoring mechanisms to prevent future illegal occupations.
The bureau noted that the digitalization of land records in Gwadar has entered its final stages and is expected to play a significant role in improving transparency and preventing land-related irregularities.
According to the statement, the recovered land is being formally handed over to the Forest and Wildlife Department.