PML-N spokesperson seeks court's permission to meet Shahid Khaqan Abbasi

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb on Thursday moved to the accountability court seeking permission to meet former premier Shahid Khaqan Abbasi imprisoned at Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail.

The accountability court’s judge Muhammad Bashir held a hearing of the petition that sought permission for meeting with Abbasi.

The accountability court’s judge Muhammad Bashir asked Marriyum Aurangzeb for what if Abbasi is not willing to meet anyone in the jail. To this, the PML-N spokesperson replied, “We would make him agree to meet us if permission is granted by the judge.”

She said that they had met him with the judge’s permission when he was under the custody of the anti-graft watchdog. She added that the jail officials restricted them to meet him as he was in judicial remand.

Later, the accountability court sought a response from the jail authorities over the petition.

Read: NAB arrests former PM Shahid Khaqan Abbasi

Earlier, an accountability court had extended judicial remand of former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and former finance minister Miftah Ismail on October 11 in Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) scandal case. The court had directed to produce them on October 28.

On September 26, Judge Muhammad Bashir had heard the case, in which Khaqan and Miftah were presented by the NAB team. The anti-graft watchdog body demanded yet another extension in the physical remand of the accused, but the judge denied.

“I will not grant any more physical remand of the accused”, Judge Bashir said. The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) stalwarts were sent to Adiala jail on judicial remand.

Read: NAB finalises reference against Shahid Khaqan Abbasi

Abbasi had been arrested by National Accountability Bureau (NAB) while en-route to Thokar Niaz Baig in Lahore on July 18 in a multi-billion-rupee case related to the award of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) import contract.

NAB sources said that Abbasi, in 2013, had awarded LNG import and distribution contract to the Elengy Terminal in violation of the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) rules and relevant laws.

Earlier on April 26, the names of former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, former finance minister Miftah Ismail and five others were placed in exit control list in an inquiry into the LNG scandal.