Former prime minister, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, on Tuesday, appeared before the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), in liquefied natural gas (LNG) import contract scam.
While talking to media sources outside the NAB’s office, Abbasi said that he would present the record to the investigation team.
He further added that he had received answers of certain questions asked in a letter sent to the petroleum secretary regarding the inquiry.
“It would be a disappointment if officers arrest me,” he maintained.
Criticising the recent dispute between Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) senior leaders, Jahangir Khan Tareen and Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader stated that they should work for the country rather than engaging in a “fight.”
On September 10, 2018, the apex court had directed the bureau to complete the inquiry against Abbasi and others for the alleged corruption in the LNG contract.
Abbasi has been accused of granting the contract on LNG terminal to ETPL, tri-partial agreement, LSA with EETPL and LNG import from Qatar in his stint as petroleum and natural resources minister.
Last June, the NAB has approved inquiry against former premiers, Nawaz Sharif and Abbasi in granting the contract of LNG terminal for 15 years to their “favourite” company and costing billions of rupees to the national exchequer.
In January, the NAB had interrogated former finance minister, Miftah Ismail, in the case.
NAB documents claimed that the contract for the LNG import and distribution was awarded to the Elengy Terminal, a subsidiary of Engro, in 2013, in a clear violation of Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) rules and relevant laws.
In a similar development, an accountability court, on Tuesday, approved an extension in the judicial remand of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s (PTI) leader, Aleem Khan, till April 11 in a case concerning his offshore companies and the alleged possession of assets beyond his known sources of income. NAB prosecutor sought an extension in his judicial remand for further investigation to accusations against him.
He was sent to jail on March 5, after the court had dismissed NAB’s appeal to extend his physical remand in their custody.
He was arrested by the NAB in Lahore on February 6.
He faces multiple inquiries, including an offshore company, Hexam Investment Overseas Ltd; one with reference to assets beyond his known sources of income; and inquiries into his involvement in the Park View Housing Society; River Age Housing Society; and Multan Road. Subsequently, he resigned as Punjab’s minister for local government.