Former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Tuesday appeared before the Combined Investigation Team (CIT) of National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in connection with alleged corruption in liquefied natural gas (LNG) contract award. The team asked him questions related to the scam. During the previous appearance, the CIT also handed over a questionnaire to Abbasi and asked him to furnish replies of questions to the CIT.
Talking to reporters after appearing before the CIT, Abbasi said he is not in favour of seeking pre-arrest bail.
To a question, he said the government record is necessary to provide answers to the questionnaire. "I have written a letter to the ministry concerned to provide the required details," he further said, adding that the questionnaire is very long.
Meanwhile, sources said that NAB Rawalpindi has recommended Ministry of Interior to put the name of Abbasi on the Exit Control List (ECL) as corruption inquiry is under way against him and there is possibility that he can flee the country to avoid the process of law.
The NAB on January 2 had converted an inquiry into investigation against Abbasi for alleged misuse of powers with respect to the LNG terminal project.
The anti-graft body approved launching an investigation against Abbasi who served as former petroleum minister, Arshad Mirza, former secretary petroleum, Sheikh Imran-ul-Haq, former managing director Pakistan State Oil (PSO), and other officials at its Executive Board Meeting (EBM) presided over by Chairman NAB Justice Javed Iqbal (retd) on January 2 this year.
The Supreme Court on September 10, 2018 had directed the NAB to complete inquiry into the matter and submit its report. The case was registered in 2015 on the complaint of Shahid Sattar, an energy expert at the NAB Karachi, against Abbasi for awarding the LNG import contract which allegedly caused a huge loss to the national exchequer.
In February this year, the Supreme Court received a plea filed by President Awami Muslim League (AML) Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, seeking disqualification of Abbasi over alleged corruption in the award of LNG import contract. The petition requested the Supreme Court to order NAB to take action against Abbasi in this regard.
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