ISLAMABAD: An accountability court in Islamabad on Tuesday adjourned the hearing in the liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal case involving former prime minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi due to lawyers’ strike.
During the proceedings, Abbasi and other suspects appeared before the court. However, the hearing was adjourned due to a protest of lawyers’ bodies.
While speaking to journalists outside the court premises, Abbasi regretted that no progress was made in the case in over two years.
In response to a question, Abbasi expressed hope that the opposition parties will achieve success in Wednesday’s Senate elections.
“MPs are aware they will not be elected on a PTI ticket. We are hoping for the victory of our [PDM] joint candidate Yousaf Raza Gillani [of PPP].”
Abbasi said that the parliament will decide on the issue of secret balloting in Senate polls after the issuance of the detailed verdict by the Supreme Court (SC).
He recounted that the top court, in the short verdict, has directed the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to ensure transparency in the Senate polls.
The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had arrested Abbasi in July 2019, a year after it ordered an inquiry against him, deposed prime minister Nawaz Sharif and others “for granting a 15-year contract of LNG terminal to a company of their liking in violation of rules and by misuse of their powers, which caused [the] national exchequer a loss of billions of rupees”.
As petroleum minister when Sharif was prime minister, Abbasi masterminded the government’s push to embrace LNG after PML-N swept to power in a 2013 election.
After NAB filed the reference, Abbasi said that he took full responsibility for work at the petroleum ministry as the deposed premier had “no direct responsibility for the workings of my ministry”.
“I welcome any inquiry by NAB or any other agency into the affairs of the ministry and I am available to cooperate with any such inquiry,” he had said.
