ISLAMABAD – Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have signed a historic agreement to combat corruption, money laundering, and recover stolen assets.
According to reports, the two countries signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) focused on strengthening cooperation in anti-corruption efforts, preventing money laundering, and repatriating illicit assets. The agreement is being hailed as a major step toward promoting transparency, accountability, and the rule of law between the two nations.
The MoU was signed during the inaugural meeting of the MENA Asset Recovery Inter-Agency Network (MENA-ARIN), held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on October 8–9, 2025. Senior anti-corruption officials from both countries attended the event.
The MoU was signed by Lt Gen (r) Nazir Ahmed, Chairman of Pakistan’s National Accountability Bureau (NAB), and Mr Mazen bin Ibrahim Al-Kahmous, President of Saudi Arabia’s Oversight and Anti-Corruption Authority (Nazaha).
Key Objectives of the Agreement:
Exchange of information related to corruption and money laundering
Tracing and recovery of stolen or illegally transferred assets
Promotion of joint investigations and intelligence sharing
Technical cooperation in Mutual Legal Assistance (MLA) matters
Strengthening coordination in preparing and implementing MLA requests
Under the agreement, both agencies will collaborate on joint training, workshops, and international anti-corruption forums to enhance their role in global anti-corruption efforts.
During the signing ceremony, the Nazaha delegation praised NAB’s outstanding performance, particularly highlighting its record recovery of 6.4 trillion Pakistani rupees (approximately USD 23 billion) — calling it a remarkable example of transparent and innovative accountability.
Mr Al-Kahmous stated that NAB’s rapid and efficient recovery of national assets serves as an inspirational global model for anti-corruption institutions worldwide.
In his address, Lt. Gen. (r) Nazir Ahmed reaffirmed Pakistan’s strong commitment to the global anti-corruption campaign, emphasizing NAB’s dedication to expanding cooperation with international partners.
He also praised Saudi leadership’s anti-corruption initiatives, saying, “Saudi Arabia has not only strengthened its internal accountability mechanisms but also provided direction and leadership for the entire region.”
The NAB Chairman further noted that this MoU complements recent defence cooperation agreements and will further strengthen the brotherly relations between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.
