NAB Recovers Over a Million Acres of Forest Land Worth Rs. 1.3 Trillion

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Balochistan has reclaimed more than one million acres of forest land across the province, with an estimated value exceeding Rs. 1.3 trillion. The recovery follows an intensive eight-month operation conducted in collaboration with the Board of Revenue and deputy commissioners. According to NAB officials, the large-scale operation targeted encroachers and illegal occupants, aiming to prevent further misuse of state property. The reclaimed lands have now been officially transferred to the Forest Department, Balochistan. A senior NAB official noted that the provincial government has established Forest Settlement Boards in each district and Forest Tribunals at the divisional level. These bodies are designed to address the grievances of local tribes and communities, ensuring fair and transparent resolution of land ownership and usage disputes. In a related development, NAB Balochistan has also launched an inquiry into the illegal allotment of state-owned land in Miani Hore, located in Sonmiani tehsil of Hub district. The area had been declared a mangrove-protected forest zone by the Forest Department in September 2022. However, local authorities later designated it as a new settlement area and invited land claims, prompting further investigation.