The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa office of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has taken possession of official records from the provincial Minerals Department as part of an ongoing investigation into suspected financial misconduct in gold mining contracts.
The probe, according to investigative sources, revolves around gold extraction deals made for sites such as Nizampur, Swabi, Kohat, Kohistan, and stretches along the River Indus.
In one case under particular scrutiny, a contract worth Rs6 billion for gold extraction in Nizampur was reportedly granted for just Rs4 billion.
Investigators believe the contracts may have been deliberately undervalued, potentially to benefit selected parties and bypass fair competition. The resulting discrepancy is believed to have cost the public exchequer significantly.
NAB officials have confirmed that the documents tied to the contracts have been taken into custody and are undergoing detailed examination. Based on findings, a list of individuals and departmental officials is being prepared for formal questioning.
The allegations point to a pattern of favouritism and lack of transparency in the distribution of mining rights. NAB is attempting to determine whether the awarding of these contracts involved any abuse of authority or collusion.
