LNG case: AC extends judicial remand of Shahid Khaqan till Feb 21

ISLAMABAD: An accountability court on Tuesday extended the judicial remand of former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi till February 21 in Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) scandal, ARY News reported.

The former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi appeared before the accountability court.

As the hearing went underway, the accountability court judge Azam Khan inquired NAB prosecutor about the development on the arrest of absconder Shahid Islam.

Upon which, the NAB prosecutor submitted a report in the court with travel history details of absconding accused Shahid Islam. The accused Shahid Islam is currently not in Pakistan, the inquiry against him is under process, said NAB prosecutor.

The court extended the judicial remand of Shahid Khaqan until February 21 and adjourned further hearing of the case till the date.

Read More: LNG case: Shahid Khaqan Abbasi files bail plea in IHC

Addressing media outside the accountability court, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader criticised Prime Minister Imran Khan for ongoing inflation in the country.

In the previous hearing, the accountability court judge summoned report about arrest warrant of absconding accused Shahid Islam from the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), who had also skipped the previous court proceedings of the case.

Charges could not be framed in the case due to absence of an accused, the judge said. The case proceedings will move ahead after report about arrest warrant of absconding accused will be submitted, the court said.

The court also ordered chairperson Oil & Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA), Uzma Adil and former chairman Saeed Ahmed to submit surety bonds of 10 million rupees each to ensure their presence in the case hearing.

LNG scandal

Former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Miftah Ismail, ex-PSO MD Imranul Haq and others are facing charges of corruption over awarding a LNG import contract allegedly at exorbitant rates in 2015, which caused a big loss to the national exchequer.

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