Accused request court to dismiss LNG reference on basis of NAB ordinance

Accused request court to dismiss LNG reference on basis of NAB ordinance

ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Accountability court in Islamabad has conducted hearing on Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) import contract case today (Tuesday). During the proceedings, the accused requested the court to dismiss the case on basis of National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Amendment Ordinance 2021. Meanwhile, NAB representatives opposed the appeal to dispose of the reference. On the other hand, while talking to media after court appearance, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said that country’s economy is collapsing but Prime Minister Imran Khan and his cabinet members do not care. Former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan said that chairman of NAB retired four days ago but government has still not initiated consultation for the new head of the anti-graft watchdog because the government wants to keep the incumbent chairman as he is tasked to target opposition. 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. In January, the NAB interrogated former finance minister Miftah Ismail in the same case.