NAB re-files LNG reference against Shahid Khaqan, others

ISLAMABAD: National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Thursday has re-filed reference of liquefied natural gas (LNG) scandal after removing the objections raised by Registrar office of the Accountability Court.

NAB has nominated former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and 9 others as accused. Accountability Court Judge Azam Khan will formally hear the reference in courtroom number 2.

The NAB reference has been comprised of 8000 pages and shifted to the Accountability Court II from the court number I of Islamabad. According to details, the anti-corruption watchdog has addressed the objections raised by the Registrar office of Accountability Court and re-filed the reference, nominating former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, former finance minister Miftah Ismail, former Pakistan State Oil (PSO) Managing Director Sheikh Imranul Haq, former Ogra Chairman Saeed Ahmed Khan, Ogra chairperson Uzma Adil Khan and others have also been named in the reference.

Former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and former finance minister Miftah Ismail have been behind bars in this case.

Shahid Khaqan Abbasi is accused of granting contract on LNG terminal to ETPL, Tri-partil agreement, LSA with EETPL and LNG import from Qatar when he was Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources.

On September 10, 2018 apex court directed NAB to complete inquiry against Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and others for alleged corruption in LNG contract.

In June 2018, the NAB approved inquiry against former premier Nawaz Sharif and Abbasi for granting contract of LNG terminal for 15 years to their ‘favourite’ company, which caused a loss of billions of rupees to the national exchequer.

According to NAB documents, the contract for the LNG import and distribution was awarded to the Elengy Terminal, a subsidiary of Engro, in 2013 in violation of the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) rules and relevant laws.