Pakistan and Saudi Arabia Sign Landmark MoU to Boost Anti-Corruption and Asset Recovery Cooperation
Islamabad, October 9, 2025:
In a major step towards strengthening international cooperation in the fight against corruption and money laundering, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance collaboration between their respective anti-corruption bodies — the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and NAZAHA, the Oversight and Anti-Corruption Authority of Saudi Arabia.
The historic MoU was signed by Lt. General (Rtd.) Nazir Ahmed, Chairman NAB, and His Excellency Mazin bin Ibrahim Al-Kahmous, President of NAZAHA, during the inaugural session of the Asset Recovery Interagency Network for the MENA Region, held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, from October 8–9, 2025.
Under this landmark agreement, both nations have pledged to strengthen collaboration through the exchange of information related to corruption, money laundering, and the recovery of stolen assets. The MoU also outlines joint efforts for asset tracing, repatriation of illicit proceeds, and technical cooperation in preparing Mutual Legal Assistance (MLA) requests through formal diplomatic channels.
During the signing ceremony, His Excellency Mazin bin Ibrahim Al-Kahmous commended NAB’s leadership and remarkable achievements in Pakistan’s anti-corruption drive, highlighting its record recoveries of 6.4 trillion Pakistani Rupees (approximately USD 23 billion) in a relatively short period. He particularly appreciated Chairman NAB’s address at the MENA ARIN forum, which he said effectively identified the global challenges nations face in combating corruption and illicit financial flows.
In his remarks, Chairman NAB Lt. Gen. (Rtd.) Nazir Ahmed praised Saudi Arabia’s progressive and bold reforms in strengthening institutional accountability under its visionary leadership. He noted that the Kingdom’s anti-corruption initiatives have revitalized regional efforts to curb corruption and promote transparency. Chairman NAB also lauded the recent defense cooperation agreement between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia as a reflection of their ever-growing brotherly and strategic ties.
To further consolidate this bilateral partnership, Chairman NAB extended an invitation to His Excellency Mazin bin Ibrahim Al-Kahmous to visit Pakistan in the near future. The visit, he said, would help deepen institutional linkages and advance shared objectives in anti-corruption, financial transparency, and asset recovery.
The signing of this MoU marks a new chapter of strategic cooperation between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, underscoring their shared resolve to combat corruption and promote integrity, accountability, and good governance at both national and regional levels.
