NAB freezes $4.5 Million in Mauritius bank accounts linked to Bahria Town Case

KARACHI: In a significant development in Pakistan’s anti-money laundering efforts, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has frozen two foreign bank accounts in Mauritius containing approximately $4.5 million, allegedly linked to Bahria Town-related individuals.

According to NAB sources, the accounts belong to Ahmed Ali Riaz and Mubashra Ali Malik and are held at Silver Bank in Mauritius. The action was taken under the provisions of the Anti-Money Laundering Act, 2010, following formal approval from an accountability court in Karachi.

NAB officials claim that funds allegedly generated through illegal activities were transferred out of Pakistan using an unlawful hawala/hundi network. The money was reportedly first moved to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and later transferred to Mauritius through a series of money-laundering transactions.

Sources said the funds were deposited into joint bank accounts, which currently hold around $4.5 million. These accounts have now been legally frozen as part of an ongoing asset recovery process.

NAB has also initiated formal legal proceedings through Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to facilitate the recovery of the funds. According to officials, efforts to confiscate and repatriate the money to Pakistan under the Anti-Money Laundering Act have entered their final stages.

The bureau stated that the move reflects its commitment to tracing assets allegedly acquired through illegal means, regardless of where they are located. NAB further emphasized that international cooperation would continue to play a key role in recovering illicit assets and bringing them back to Pakistan.