LNG reference against former PM Abbasi adjourned till April 27

ISLAMABAD: An Accountability Court (AC) on Thursday adjourned hearing till April 27, in reference pertaining to the award of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) import contract against former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, ex-finance advisor Miftah Ismail and others.

A co-accused Sheikh Imran ul Haq's lawyer also concluded his cross examination with prosecution witness in the same reference.

During hearing, the court asked Shahid Khaqan Abbasi about the health of his counsel Barrister Zafarullah who was suffering from COVID-19.

Abbasi said his lawyer was in isolation currently and would be able to appear once his COVID-19 report got negative.

The court said it had fixed this only case on Tuesday for hearing. If the current situation persists, the court has to conduct day to day hearing.

The court asked the lawyers to ensure their attendance on the next hearing so that the trial could be proceeded further. Shahid Khaqan Abbasi was allowed to leave after marking his attendance.

After this, former PSO managing director Sheikh Imran ul Haq's counsel conducted cross examination with the NAB witness.

Later on, the hearing adjourned till April 27.

The NAB had named former premier Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, his son Abdullah Khaqan Abbasi, ex-SSGC board chairman Miftah Ismail, former PSO chairman Sheikh Imranul Haq, former PQA chairman Agha Jan Akhtar, former OGRA chairman Saeed Ahmed Khan, former member OGRA Aamir Naseem, OGRA chairperson Uzma Adil Khan, former PSO MD Shahid M Islam, Engro Corporation Limited Director Abdul Samad Dawood, SSGCL MD Muhammad Amin, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi’s airlines MD Chaudhry Aslam and others in the reference.

The accused had caused a loss of Rs14 billion by awarding the contract to a private company, while the national exchequer suffered total losses worth Rs21 billion, which in the next 10 years would reach Rs47 billion.