Khaqan, Miftah acquitted in LNG case

ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Tuesday gave a clean chit to former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, ex-finance minister Miftah Ismail and others in the Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) reference.

The development comes after the NAB withdrew the graft reference against the former premier, who has since long been calling for abolishing the anti-corruption watchdog over political victimization.

The Accountability Court (AC) Judge Nasir Javed Rana heard the case as Abbasi appeared before the court along with his lawyers here on Tuesday. During the hearing, NAB Deputy Prosecutor Azhar Maqbool told the court that the bureau was withdrawing the reference against the former prime minister and others. “NAB is withdrawing the reference against Shahid Khaqan Abbasi,” he said.

Abbasi, Miftah Ismail, ex-PSO MD Imranul Haq and others were facing charges of corruption over award of LNG import contract allegedly at exorbitant rates in 2015, which caused a big loss to the national exchequer.

In 2019, NAB Rawalpindi filed a reference in the LNG import contract case against 10 accused, including Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Miftah Ismail and former Pakistan State Oil managing director Sheikh Imranul Haq.

According to the reference, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, in 2013, had awarded an LNG import and distribution contract to the Elengy Terminal in violation of the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) rules and relevant laws. The case was heard by an Accountability Court in Islamabad, and in 2020, Abbasi was arrested by NAB and later released on bail.

Meanwhile, an accountability court has acquitted Engro Corporation Chairman Hussain Dawood, Director Abdul Samad Dawood and former CEO Imranul Haq in the award of an LNG contract to the Engro Elengy Terminal Limited, as no evidence was found to prove any illegality, irregularity or loss to the national exchequer.

In a statement on Tuesday, the corporation said it welcomed this much-awaited decision of the court.

The corporation has always strived to act in a fair manner in all its business and commercial commitments. Over the last six decades, the corporation built its reputation through a strong focus on effective corporate governance, ethics and integrity, and compliance with the laws of the land.

“The LNG Terminal in question is an essential part of Pakistan’s energy infrastructure; it supplies 15% of Pakistan’s total gas requirement, which is a critical industrial and domestic input, to a growing country.”