Former premier and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) senior leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Thursday was presented before the accountability court in liquefied natural gas (LNG) case.
During the hearing headed by judge Shahrukh Arjumand, the physical remand of the ex-petroleum minister has been extended for 14 days.
Earlier on July 18, 2019, the anti-corruption watchdog had arrested Shahid Khaqan Abbasi near Thokar Niaz Baig toll plaza in connection with an ongoing investigation into the ‘illegal’ award of the LNG contract with Qatar.
The apex court on September 10, 2018 had directed NAB to complete inquiry against Abbasi and others for the alleged corruption in the LNG contract.
In June 2018, the NAB approved inquiry against former premier Nawaz Sharif and Abbasi. As the minister for petroleum and natural resources, he has been accused of granting contract on LNG Terminal to ETPL, Tri-partial agreement, LSA with EETPL and LNG import from Qatar etc.
It was also observed that this contract had allegedly caused a loss of billions of rupees to the national exchequer.
In January, the NAB interrogated former finance minister Miftah Ismail in the same case.
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.
