PESHAWAR: An accountability court here on Thursday approved a plea bargain of Rs49.125 million of an accused in the high-profile case involving alleged embezzlement of over Rs37 billion in the Upper Kohistan district accounts office.

Judge Mohammad Zafar ordered the release of accused Jibran Malik, the owner of a construction firm, if he’s not required in any other case. He pronounced that the accused was discharged from his liability and also stood disqualified from holding any public office under Section 15 of National Accountability Ordinance, 1999.

The plea bargain application of the accused was accepted by the chairman of National Accountability Bureau on March 10 and the matter was referred to the accountability court for final approval.

The judge pronounced that the accused had conceded that his plea bargain agreement with National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had his complete consent and according to his free will and not under any duress, coercion or pressure.

Application of the accused was accepted by NAB chairman on March 10

According to the plea bargain agreement, the accused had paid a down payment of Rs18.302 million through bank cheques, whereas two installments of Rs15.411 million will be paid within the stipulated period of three months.

The accused made commitment that in case of his failure to pay the two installments within the stipulated timeframe, NAB would have the right to adjust the remaining balance of total liability payable through auction of his landed property consisting of 22-marla mentioned as collateral security.

The court directed Mansehra deputy commissioner to attach the said 22-marla commercial property of the accused, which was offered as collateral security until payment of complete liability.

The accused, a resident of Mansehra, is stated to be an accomplice in the case as several transactions of the ill-gotten money had taken place in his bank accounts.

A special prosecutor of NAB, Manik Shah, appeared in the court along with the investigation officer SP Inayatullah.

The officials submitted application under Section 25(b) read with Section 15 of National Accountability Ordinance, 1999, for approval of the plea bargain of the accused in the investigation going on against him regarding the embezzlement and misappropriation in respect of massive financial scam uncovered by NAB related to illegal withdrawal and misappropriation of over Rs37 billion from contractors security deposit head of an account, G-10113.

They said that in the scam uncovered by NAB, there was active collusion of the accused with the other co-accused, including officials of communication and works department in Upper Kohistan, district accounts office Upper Kohistan, employees of National Bank of Pakistan’s Dasu branch and several private contractors.

The officials said that the accused persons had misappropriated funds from different projects through bogus withdrawal of funds from national treasury in the name of several contractors, who had not executed any civil work.

They said that the total liability fixed against the present accused was to the tune of Rs49.125 million.

Published in Dawn, March 13th, 2026