Court extends physical remand of Abbasi, others in LNG reference

By Muhammad YaseenPublished On 05 Jan 2023

(Islamabad News): An accountability court extended the remand of former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Miftah Ismail and Shaikh Imranul Haq before September 26. National Accountability Bureau (NAB) officials had created Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, former finance minister Miftah Ismail and former managing director of Pakistan State Oil (PSO) Shaikh Imran ul Haq, in liability court Thursday in LNG reference hearing.

NAB officials pleaded by 14 days in the remand of the accused to the court for expansion. Judge Muhammad Bashir booked his choice the court over the NAB petition, which was awarded by the court.

Shahid Khaqan Abbasi approached rostrum from the court during the hearing said, "What the chief justice was saying yesterday is the real matter of the fact." PML-N leaders Khawaja Asif and Rana Tanvir also fulfilled with Shahid Khaqan Abbasi from the court. Former deputy speaker Murtaza Javed Abbasi and Malik Abrar were present throughout the meeting.

Abbasi was detained by National Accountability Bureau (NAB) while en-route to Thokar Niaz Baig at Lahore on July 18 at a multi-billion-rupee case linked to the award of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) import arrangement.

NAB sources stated that Abbasi, in 2013, had given an LNG import and supply contract into the Elengy Terminal in breach of the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) principles and applicable laws.

Before on April 26, the titles of former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, former finance minister Miftah Ismail and others were put in exit control record within a query into the LNG scandal.