The Lahore chapter of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Tuesday claimed to have traced 48 bank accounts of Khawaja Muhammad Asif, former defence minister and a senior leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N). 

The NAB Lahore is currently investigating an assets beyond means case involving Khawaja Asif. The NAB says that it has collected Rs1.45 billion from the 48 bank accounts alleged to have been owned by the vocal PML-N leader from Sialkot. 

Some of these bank accounts were opened in the names of Khawaja Asif’s family, while others were simply ghost accounts. As many as Rs223 million were deposited in the bank accounts of Khawaja Asif and his family members. 

Khawaja Asif was questioned about these accounts and the money deposited in these accounts during a hearing at the NAB office. Sources say that Khawaja Asif is being investigated about the ghost accounts and the amount deposited in these accounts. Sources in the NAB said that Khawaja Asif would be questioned in the presence of owners of the ghost accounts.