ISLAMABAD - The National Accountability Bureau has decided to file a corruption reference against former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and others in illegal award of LNG tender to EPTL next week, The Nation has learnt.
According to sources, the NAB probe team has completed investigation into the LNG scam and now the Bureau is in a position to file corruption reference in this case. They said the Bureau is trying to arrest other accused as soon as possible in this case.
They said two of the accused including Managing Director Inter State Gas System Mobin Solut and former secretary petroleum Abid Saeed have become approver against former premier and their statements played role in completion of investigation.
They said Mobin Solut and Abid Saeed had reached the NAB Rawalpindi Bureau after issuance of arrest warrants of Shahid Abbasi, Miftah Ismail and MD PSO Shiekh Imran and accepted the Bureau investigation team’s offer to become approver against Abbasi and others.
A senior officer told Mobin Solut considered a close aide of former PM Abbasi and enjoying his third term as MD ISGS due to Abbasi efforts.
Last week, the NAB team arrested Abbasi from Thokhar Niaz Baig with help of Punjab police when he was going to address a press conference with PML-N leadership in Lahore in illegal award of LNG Tender to EPTL and shifted him in NAB Rawalpindi Bureau the same evening. NAB team had raided the residences of Miftah Ismail in Karachi and former MD PSO in Islamabad but failed to arrest them.
According to sources, NAB regional Bureau did not provide facilities to former PM in prison cell as compared to former President Asif Ali Zardari. The former president was allowed to keep two personal attendants with him in the jail and also having a relaxing chair in his room. Zardari has also been granted permission to have home-made food. They mentioned that Shahid Khaqan Abbasi’s cell is not as good as Asif Zardari.