ISLAMABAD: In a breakthrough in illegal allotment of state land and administrative corruption, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has claimed to have retrieved 350 acres of high-value government land in Karachi’s Clifton area.

The recovered property, situated in the prestigious Clifton Block-I and Block-II areas, has a market valuation of approximately Rs423.5 billion, representing one of the largest land recoveries in recent history.

The recovery follows a rigorous inquiry and subsequent investigation initiated by NAB against senior officers of the Land Utilisation Department (government of Sindh), the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) and the Karachi Development Authority (KDA).

The investigation focused on the illegal allotment of 350 acres of land reclaimed from the seabed. The findings revealed that officials had violated the rules and law and allotted the land to private authorities on a meagre amount, causing loss to the national exchequer.

During the formal proceedings of the case, NAB Karachi successfully ensured the cancellation of all illegal allotments. This reclaimed sea-bed land has now been officially restored to the government of Sindh, a handover that has been formally acknowledged by the Land Utilisation Department.

A NAB spokesman said in a statement the operation was the result of a highly coordinated effort between NAB Karachi and the Board of Revenue, Sindh. “By intervening before the land could be sold off or further encumbered, the bureau blocked a massive fraudulent transaction and protected the national exchequer from a historic financial loss,” it added.

The bureau remained committed to its policy of “Accountability for All” and continues to pursue those involved in the systemic misuse of public resources, the spokesman concluded.

Published in Dawn, February 28th, 2026