Court records statement of witness in PSO appointment case

KARACHI: An accountability court here on Thursday recorded the statement of a witness in alleged illegal appointments in the Pakistan State Oil (PSO) by former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and others.

Shahid Khaqan Abbasi along with former MD Petorluem Imranul Haq, former deputy MD and other accused turned up before the court.

A witness in the reference recorded a statement, while the further hearing of the case was adjourned until February 4.

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

The accused caused loss of Rs138 million to the national exchequer.

The former prime minister and the former petroleum secretary are on the bail currently from the Sindh High Court from July 2019.

Talking to newsmen after the hearing, Abbasi claimed that Broadsheet found nothing against former prime minister AND party supremo Nawaz Sharif.

He alleged that the NAB is a source to pressurize politicians and added that the anti-graft body holds others accountable but is answerable itself today.