LNG scam: NAB opens new inquiry against Khaqan Abbasi

ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has started another inquiry against former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi in an alleged multi-billion LNG scam.

The bureau served a notice on Abbasi on Tuesday, asking him to appear before its investigation team on Jan 10, 2021. "The inquiry has revealed that you [Abbasi] remained minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources and prime minister of Pakistan, involved in selection and appointment of Adnan Gilani to Pakistan LNG Limited as chief operating officer and subsequently as chief executive officer during 2013-2018 period, which related to commission of the said [NAB Ordinance] offence," read the notice, signed by Saleem Ahmed Khan, Addl Director NAB Rawalpindi. NAB Rawalpindi is conducting an inquiry against Abbasi regarding appointment of Adnan Gilani to top positions at Pakistan LNG Limited in violation of the rules. Former PM Abbasi was not available for a comment, as he is currently visiting the United States of America. His son Abdullah Abbasi was not aware of the new inquiry. He, however, said, "It seems to be an enquiry into an appointment made during the PML-N government. The person in question is Adnan Gilani, I do not know him personally, but have heard of him.

“He is a Wharton (UPenn) and University of Chicago educated investment banker and derivatives trader."

Findings of the NAB investigation team, seen the reporter on Tuesday, revealed the content of complaint which alleged that Adnan Gilani was one of the favourite persons of ex-PM Abbasi, who was appointed to Pakistan LNG Limited top post. Investigators put several questions before former premier Abbasi in writing, which included that when did Mr Abbasi first acquaint with Adnan Gilani and did he know his background and expertise as mentioned above?”

During the appointment of Adnan Gilani to Pakistan LNG Limited in 2016, the Prime Minister's Office raised serious observations regarding his selection on March 14, 2016, revealed the NAB findings. Being the minister for petroleum and natural resources, NAB questioned Abbasi how he responded to the observations of the PM Office that the selection process had been skewed to favour Adnan Gilani as the other two candidates had weak profiles.

NAB's initial findings further revealed that the then prime minister Nawaz Sharif, through a senior officer, on June 2, 2016 desired that petroleum ministry should identify the person responsible for the selection and take appropriate action against them.

Being the minister for petroleum, Abbasi, as the NAB findings claim, approved the assignment of acting charge for CEO Pakistan LNG Terminals Limited to Chief Operating Officer Pakistan LNG Limited to Gilani upon removal of Azam Sufi on Dec 15, 2017.

As per the Establishment Division's observations on Dec 27, 2017, the panel of three candidates forwarded by the ministry of energy contained only two eligible candidates, according to the NAB findings. The ineligibility of candidates was discussed in the 22nd meeting of the board of directors Pakistan LNG Limited.

The Ministry of Energy directed the PLL Board of directors to nominate a fresh panel of three eligible candidates through a letter on Jan 15, 2018, but the same panel with ineligible candidates (Arshad Hussain Sufi being above 60 years and US national and Salman Amin having less than requisite experience) was forwarded to the cabinet on Jan 16, 2018, stated the NAB findings.

The Establishment Division raised serious observations regarding the non-compliance to the SECP Guidelines 2013 for appointment of CEOs to the public sector companies in the short-listing process of candidates by the nomination committee as the interview procedure was conducted by the HR committee rather than board of directors and mark-sheets were also missing.

The NAB team put further questions to Abbasi about the summary returned by the PM office without any observations regarding selections, Establishment Division's observations on CEOs' appointment and unaddressed issues on the nominated panel.