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IHC grants bail to PML-N leaders Ahsan Iqbal, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi

The court grants bail against Rs10 million bonds to both leaders

By Web Desk
February 25, 2020

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court approved on Tuesday the bail of PML-N leader Ahsan Iqbal  and Shahid Khaqan Abbasi in their respective corruption references.

Ahsan Iqbal was granted bail against bonds worth Rs10 million in the Narowal Sports City corruption case, while the IHC gave bail to Shahid Abbasi in the LNG terminal case.

PML-N leader Ahsan Iqbal was arrested in December by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) as he appeared before it in relation to the corruption case.

The IHC two-judge bench under Chief Justice IHC Athar Minullah heard the case today.

In the hearing, Additional Prosecutor General NAB opposed the bail, saying that if the suspect is granted bail then it can disrupt the case’s record.

During the arguments, Justice Minallah remarked that arresting a suspect to interrogate him shows incompetence on the part of the investigation officer and a suspect is innocent until the crime is proven against him.

The APG Nab then said that if the PML-N leader submits his passport and appears when summoned by the court then he has no objection.

NAB had begun investigating the complex in July 2018. It was built at the staggering cost of over Rs3,000 million.

The NAB investigation team also visited the Narowal Sports City project in November to secure records.

The mega venture was one of the primary projects developed under former minister for planning Ahsan Iqbal during the PML-N's tenure.

Shahid Khaqan Abbasi granted bail  in LNG case

IHC Justice Minallah heard the LNG terminal case on Tuesday, against the former prime minister and PML-N leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi.

During the hearing, the judge stated that in the case Punjab Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) rules do not apply as public funds weren’t used.

“If in the matter public funds weren’t used then what is your case built upon?” said the judge.

To which the Additional Prosecutor NAB said that Abbasi abused his authority in the LNG terminal project, adding that the ministry handled the entire process, even excluding OGRA.

The court subsequently granted bail to Abbasi against bonds worth Rs10 million.

Last year, the Nab had arrested Shahid Khaqan Abbasi in an alleged case of corruption while awarding a multi-billion rupee import contract for LNG in 2013, when he was the minister for petroleum and natural resources.