NAB once again summons Shahid Khaqan Abbasi in LNG case

RAWALPINDI (92 News) – The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has once again summoned former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi in connection with its ongoing investigation into the LNG scandal. According to the NAB sources, the corruption watchdog has asked the PML-N stalwart and his son to show up tomorrow at the Rawalpindi office where they will likely be quizzed about billions of rupees worth of suspicious transactions into their accounts. They said the father-son duo will be asked to explain under what head billions of rupees were transacted into their accounts at a time when the then government was in the process of finalising the LNG agreements. The bureau says it has new evidence against him. “His stance on the matter will be heard before a new supplementary reference is filed against him.” NAB has summoned the former premier on the basis of “secret transactions” conducted via his accounts. The bureau says money was transferred to the accounts of Abbasi’s family members, including his son Abdullah Khaqan. His son has also been asked to present himself before the NAB. Abbasi is already being investigated in the LNG terminal contract case and spent several months in NAB custody. Besides, they will also have to respond to questions that they failed to answer during their previous appearance before the investigation team. Earlier, the IHC granted bail to Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) leader and former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi in liquefied natural gas (LNG) case. The two-member bench of IHC heard the bail plea of Ahsan Iqbal in Narowal Sports City scandal. The court approved the bail of Shahid Khaqan Abbasi against surety bonds worth Rs10 million. The IHC has directed the PML-N leaders to submit surety bonds worth Rs 10 million each. The court inquired from the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), “Why was Shahid Khaqan Abbasi arrested? How can Shahid Khaqan Abbasi be deprived of representation when people voted for them?” “Why are those people being punished who voted for Khaqan Abbasi?” In his remarks, IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah said that the PML-N leader cannot be kept under custody without any reason and barring them unnecessarily is misuse of power.