The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Karachi has frozen approximately $4.5 million held in foreign bank accounts, marking a breakthrough in an ongoing money laundering investigation linked to Bahria Town, it was reported on Saturday.
According to sources familiar with the matter, the frozen accounts were traced to Mauritius.
The accounts, held at Silver Bank, Mauritius, are reportedly in the names of accused Ahmad Ali Riaz and Mubashira Ali Malik.
The action was taken under the Anti-Money Laundering Act, 2010 after receiving approval from the Accountability Court in Karachi, sources said.
Investigators alleged that the funds were transferred abroad through hawala and hundi networks.
The money was initially routed through the United Arab Emirates before being moved onward to Mauritius through suspected money laundering channels.
The transferred amount was deposited into joint foreign bank accounts, which now collectively hold around $4.5 million, now frozen by authorities.
NAB sources said formal legal proceedings have also been initiated through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to pursue the matter at an international level.
Officials added that the process for seizure and repatriation of the frozen funds to Pakistan is now in its final stages.
Sources further said the development underscores NAB’s continued efforts to track and recover alleged illegal assets across multiple jurisdictions.
They added that through international cooperation, Pakistan aims to secure the return of allegedly unlawfully obtained wealth held abroad.
