Defence counsel remain absent: AC adjourns LNG case against Khaqan till 10th

ISLAMABAD: An accountability court adjourned the Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) case against former premier Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and others till January 10 due to the absence of defence counsel.

Newly-appointed Accountability Court-II Judge Nasir Javed Rana after assuming charge took up the LNG case against Abbasi and others but the prosecution informed the court that defence counsel are not available.

The prosecution briefed the court about the case and then the court adjourned the hearing till January 10. The tenure of former Accountability Court-II judge Azam Khan expired on October 27. The government on December 19 appointed District and Sessions Judge Nasir Javed Rana as the new judge of the Accountability Court for a term of three years.

The Accountability Court-II judge Muhammad Azam Khan during his tenure heard the case regarding award of the LNG Terminal to ETPL that allegedly caused a loss of Rs21.584 billion to the exchequer.

The NAB on December 4, 2019, filed an LNG case before the AC.

The bureau on August 6, 2020 filed a supplementary reference against former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and others, in connection with the LNG case.

The bureau has nominated Abbasi, Abdul Khaqan Abbasi, son of Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, former finance minister Miftah Ismail, ex-MD PSO Sheikh Imranul Haque, Agha Jan Akhtar, former chairman PQA , and Saeed Ahmed Khan, former chairman OGRA, in the supplementary reference.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022