AC rejects NAB plea for Khaqan Abbasi’s non-bailable arrest warrant

ISLAMABAD: The Accountability Court Islamabad Thursday rejected the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) plea seeking non-bailable arrest warrant for former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi in LNG reference.

The court also accepted a plea of Khaqan Abbasi seeking exemption from appearing in the court hearing. Accountability Court judge Azam Khan announced that the court has approved the one-day (Thursday) exemption plea of the former prime minister. “Shahid Khaqan Abbasi should ensure his presence in the next hearing of the case,” the judge said.

The court has indicted Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, ex-finance minister Miftah Ismail and other co-accused in the LNG terminal reference in November 16 last year filed by NAB. According to NAB, the former prime minister 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. PML-N leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Miftah Ismail, ex-PSO MD Imranul Haq and others are facing corruption charges over awarding the LNG import contract allegedly at exorbitant rates which caused a big loss to the national exchequer. —Obaid Abrar Khan