NAB recovers 223,000 kanals of forest land worth over Rs18 billion in Mansehra

A long-running land-record problem in Mansehra has been resolved, with the National Accountability Bureau’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa office arranging control of about 223,000 kanals of state forest territory for the provincial Forest Department. Profit by Pakistan Today reported that the property is valued at more than Rs18 billion and had been beyond the department’s direct control for over 50 years. NAB worked with local administration and revenue officials to establish the boundaries and complete the handover.

The land was acquired by the government from 1971 to 1980 in Mansehra, Haripur and Battagram, then assigned for forest use as Resumed Lands and Protected Forests. Earlier, unclear boundaries and incomplete ownership documentation had prevented the department from taking possession. NAB also helped deliver updated revenue documentation, while satellite images and on-site checks indicated significant tree cover on the Mansehra land.