Ex-premier Shahid Khaqan appears before NAB in LNG case
Last updated on: 02 April,2019 03:12 pm
The apex court on September 10, 2018 directed the NAB to complete the inquiry against Abbasi.
RAWALPINDI (Dunya News) – Former premier Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Tuesday appeared before the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), in connection in a case pertaining to liquefied natural gas (LNG) import scam.
In his talk to the media outside the NAB’s office, Abbasi said he would present the record to the investigation team as he has received answers of certain questions via a letter sent to the secretary petroleum, regarding the inquiry.
“It would be a disappointment, if officers arrest me,” he said.
He criticised the recent row between PTI leaders Jahangir Khan Tareen and Shah Mehmood Qureshi, by stating that they should work for the country rather than engaging in a ‘fight’.
The apex court on September 10, 2018 directed the NAB to complete the inquiry against Abbasi and others for the alleged corruption in the LNG contract.
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.
In June 2018, the NAB approved inquiry against former premier Nawaz Sharif and Abbasi, who was the former minister for petroleum and natural resources at that time, in granting contract of LNG terminal for 15 years to their ‘favourite’ company.
It was also observed that this contract had allegedly caused a loss of billions of rupees to the national exchequer.
The NAB in January 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.