Dumper driver-turned-billionaire agrees to deposit Rs4.05 billion in Kohistan scam

A Peshawar Accountability Court has approved a plea bargain under which Mumtaz Kohistan, a former dumper driver now described as a billionaire, will deposit Rs4.05 billion in the national exchequer in connection with the Rs40 billion Kohistan corruption scandal.

During Wednesday’s hearing, Administrative Judge Zafar Khan heard the plea bargain application, with Deputy Prosecutor General Muhammad Ali representing the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

NAB officials told the court that investigations had uncovered transactions totaling around Rs4 billion in Mumtaz’s bank accounts. The accused then submitted a request to enter a plea bargain, which was reviewed and approved by the NAB chairman before being presented to the court for endorsement.

According to NAB, Mumtaz set up a fake construction company in his name and used it to carry out fraudulent billing and siphon public funds. The bureau said several other suspects have also filed plea bargain applications that are under review.

NAB said Mumtaz was arrested on October 9, 2025. Investigators found that although he was formerly a dumper driver, he later acquired assets worth billions of rupees, prompting questions about financial oversight.

The inquiry revealed that Mumtaz acted as a frontman for Qaisar, a clerk in the Communication and Works Department, who allegedly managed the creation of fake companies and oversaw embezzlement, while Mumtaz was listed as the owner of the bogus firm.

NAB officials said the recovered amount represents only part of the total misappropriated funds and that efforts to recover additional assets are ongoing. So far, more than 36 individuals have been arrested in connection with the scandal, and assets worth Rs30 billion have been sealed and bank accounts frozen as part of the investigation.

The Kohistan case is viewed as one of the largest financial corruption scandals in the history of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, highlighting concerns about accountability and financial monitoring within government departments.