The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chapter of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has formally converted the Kohistan corruption scandal case from an inquiry to an investigation following major developments in the probe.

The NAB has so far recovered assets worth more than Rs25 billion as part of its operations, sources said.

The sources said that the arrest of key figures involved in the scandal was expected in the next 24 to 48 hours.

A key suspect, Muhammad Ayub contractor, has already been taken into custody after the detection of suspicious transactions amounting to Rs3 billion in his bank account.

It is also alleged that Ayub bought Senator Azam Swati’s residence by using money linked to the corruption scandal.

As per official records, the NAB has so far confiscated 77 luxury vehicles, 109 properties, and several commercial and residential assets.

The confiscated properties include 4 farmhouses, 12 plazas, 30 houses, 12 shops and food courts, 25 apartments and penthouses, and 175 kanals of agricultural land.

These properties are located in various cities, including Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Peshawar, Abbottabad, and Mansehra, and are worth around Rs17 billion.

The sources stated that following the latest breakthroughs, the NAB is tightening the noose around other figures linked to the scandal, and more high-profile arrests are expected within the next 24 to 48 hours.

NAB officials have hailed the investigation as a major success in the fight against corruption.