National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Lahore reported a significant recovery in a corruption scandal involving former Punjab chief minister Ch Pervaiz Elahi and others linked to kickbacks in construction contracts. NAB Deputy Chairman Sohail Nasir presented a cheque worth Rs 36.8 million to the Punjab government, which was received by Additional Secretary Finance Abdus Samad in the presence of NAB Lahore Director General Amjad Majeed Aulakh, said a spokesperson here Wednesday. The recovery was a part of an ongoing investigation into corruption in public contracts. Additionally, the NAB Lahore successfully retrieved Rs 17.2 million from former chief financial officer Ikram Naveed through a plea bargain. The NAB deputy chairman emphasized that recovering national wealth was the bureau’s top priority, ensuring that all actions were taken in the public interest. Under the leadership of DG Amjad Majeed Aulakh, the NAB Lahore had achieved remarkable success, recovering billions of rupees in 2024 alone. He affirmed that all NAB initiatives were designed to benefit both the public and the national treasury. To further enhance its outreach, an accountability facilitation cell (AFC) had been established for parliamentarians and the business community, aligning with the chairman’s vision for accountability, he informed. The scope of the AFC had also been extended to include bureaucracy after the National Assembly and provincial legislatures, he mentioned. According to the chairman’s vision, the NAB was promoting transparency and accountability within the bureaucracy, business community and lawmakers, he said. Sohail Nasir said the NAB Lahore continues to hold monthly open hearings as part of its commitment to public service, which had significantly bolstered public trust in the institution.