AC orders to release Khaqan Abbasi on parole

ISLAMABAD (92 News) – An Islamabad accountability court (AC) on Monday ordered to release former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on a parole. Abbasi’s sister Sadia Abbasi filed a plea in the court for releasing Khaqan Abbasi on a parole to attend the funeral prayers of his uncle. Judge Muhammad Bashir heard the application. During the hearing, Judge Bashir asked about location of the funeral being held. To this, the court was told that the funeral would be held in Murree. The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) prosecutor objected to former prime minister’s release but the court declined the objection. The court released Khaqan Abbasi on a parole for attending funeral of his uncle. Earlier, an accountability court extended physical remand of former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, former finance minister Miftah Ismail and former PSO managing director Shaikh Imranul Haq for 14 days in LNG case. The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) team had presented Khaqan Abbasi, Miftah Ismail and Shaikh Imranul Haq in accountability court in LNG reference hearing. The NAB officials pleaded to the court for extension in physical remand of the accused by further 14 days. Judge Muhammad Bashir reserved his decision over the NAB request. Later, the judge extended the physical remands of Khaqan Abbasi and other until September 26. Judge Mohammad Bashir remarked that he granted physical remand of Shahid Khakhan and Miftah Ismail for the last time. PML-N leaders Khawaja Asif and Rana Tanvir also met Shahid Khaqan Abbasi in the courtroom. Former deputy speaker Murtaza Javed Abbasi and Malik Abrar were also present during the meeting. After the hearing, speaking to the journalists, the former prime minister once again rejected the rumours of deal between government the Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N). “We have no need of deal with the incumbent government,” he said. The former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi is facing charges of corruption and awarding a LNG import contract at exorbitant rates in 2015, which caused big loss to the national exchequer.Sources said that he had granted a tender worth Rs220 bn to a firm in which he himself was a shareholder.