ISLAMABAD: The accountability court has adjourned the hearing of LNG reference against former premier Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and others due to the absence of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) prosecutor, ARY News reported on Tuesday.
An accountability court in Islamabad conducted the hearing of LNG reference in which former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and former member of the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) Aamir Naseem have appeared.
The defence lawyer told the court that Aamir Naseem had been transported through a police van from the Lahore jail yesterday. Aamir Naseem apprised the court that he is suffering from cardiac disease and has three stents.
READ: LNG REFERENCE: HEARING ADJOURNED TILL PUBLICATION OF ‘GAZETTE COPY’ OF ORDINANCE
He said that a petrol crisis had hit the country in 2020 and he closed the operations of a company at that time. He added that he got retired from his post in 2016. He said that his only fault was to stop the operation of a company that had been restored following the order of the Lahore High Court (LHC).
The assistant lawyer pleaded with the accountability court to grant exemption from personal appearance in the hearing to Aamir Naseem as he is going to appear before the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Lahore chapter in another case.
The court approved the exemption plea of Aamir Naseem.
READ: NAB WITNESS CROSS-EXAMINED IN LNG REFERENCE AGAINST EX-PREMIER, OTHERS
Later, the accountability court adjourned the hearing of the LNG reference till December 14 due to the absence of the NAB prosecutor.
LNG reference
Ex-PM Abbasi, former finance minister Miftah Ismail, former managing director of the Pakistan State Oil (PSO) Sheikh Imranul Haq, ex-chairperson of the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) Uzma Adil and others are named in the reference.
On November 16, the court had indicted all the accused. They pleaded not guilty and opted to contest the charges. Subsequently, the court directed the NAB prosecution to furnish evidence to back up the allegations against them.
Former PM Abbasi is accused of awarding an LNG Terminal-I contract to a firm at Port Qasim Karachi, at exorbitant rates.
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