National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has summoned former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi tomorrow (Friday) in connection with alleged corruption in liquefied natural gas (LNG) contract award. Sources said NAB Rawalpindi summoned Abbasi, who also remained petroleum minister, to record his statement with respect to the LNG scam. The NAB on January 2 had converted 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 Ministry of Petroleum, Sheikh Imran-ul-Haq, former managing director PSO, and other officials at its executive board meeting (EBM) presided over by Chairman NAB Justice Javed Iqbal (retd) on January 2.

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 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 fixed 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.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2019