Court sends back MD PSO appointment reference to NAB

KARACHI: An accountability court on Tuesday sent back alleged illegal appointment of the MD PSO against former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and others to the NAB, ARY News reported.

The court today decided a petition from the accused seeking the reference back to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) as the court has no jurisdiction in the case.

Former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and other accused were present in the court hearing.

Defence counsel argued that the court not having jurisdiction in the case after amendment in the law governing the anti-graft watchdog. “The accused have been charged of the graft amount lesser than 500 million,” defence lawyer argued.

It is to be mentioned here that the NAB could not proceed in the graft charges lesser than 500 million after amendment in the relevant anti-graft law.

The petition was filed from two accused Sheikh Imran-ul-Haq and Yaqoob Sattar.

The anti-corruption watchdog had filed a reference against ex-PM Abbasi and the then petroleum secretary in May 2020 for allegedly appointing Sheikh Imran-ul-Haq as managing director and Yaqoob Sattar as deputy managing director (finance) of the Pakistan State Oil (PSO) in violation of the rules and regulations.

The accused caused loss of Rs138 million to the national exchequer, the NAB alleged in the reference.