National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has again summoned former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on April 25 in connection with cases including alleged corruption in liquefied natural gas (LNG) contract award and import of 34 bulletproof cars from Germany for Saarc conference.
An official source said that NAB's combined investigation team (CIT) summoned Abbasi for recording his statement in connection with import of 34 bulletproof cars from Germany for SAARC conference, besides probing him for his alleged corruption in the LNG contract award.
The source said that NAB had given a questionnaire consisting of 75 questions to Abbasi during the previous hearing but so far he has only answered 20 questions. Following the request of the former prime minister, the NAB Rawalpindi has extended the deadline for submission of the questionnaire, he said, adding that the NAB has also contacted the Ministry of Petroleum for provision of record to Abbasi aimed at expediting investigations.
He said that the NAB has so far issued six notices to Abbasi but the latter failed to provide complete answers of queries. "Till date, Abbasi has not provided even his assets' details to the NAB," he said, adding that the investigation officer has briefed Director General (DG) NAB Rawalpindi Irfan Mangi about the progress of investigations in the case.
The sources said that the NAB investigation team also asked Abbasi to submit his reply about import of 34 bulletproof cars from Germany for South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) conference without payment of customs duty. They said that the cars were imported ahead of the Saarc Summit 2016 and were to be used by diplomats, they added.
During the previous appearance of Abbasi before the Bureau, he said that the NAB team questioned Abbasi as to why these vehicles were used for the protocol of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's family members.
The NAB on January 2 last had converted an inquiry into investigation against Abbasi for alleged misuse of powers with respect to the LNG terminal project. The Bureau 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) on January 2 last.
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 last year, the Supreme Court fixed a plea filed by President Awami Muslim League (AML) Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, seeking disqualification of then Prime Minister Abbasi over alleged corruption in the award of LNG import contract.
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