NAB summons Sheikh Rasheed with evidences of LNG case
RAWALPINDI (92 News) – The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Friday summoned Federal Minister for Railways Sheikh Rasheed to come with evidences for his complaint in the liquefied natural gas (LNG) contract case.
In his notice, the NAB stated that the minister has been asked to bring along record of LNG scam on Feb 27 at 11pm. The minister was asked in the notice to appear before NAB’s Rawalpindi office.
It is pertinent to mention here that Sheikh Rasheed claimed to have details of alleged corruption in the award of a contract for the import of LNG by the then federal petroleum minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi.
Last year in February, Rasheed, who is also the chief of his own Awami Muslim League (AML), said he had provided details to NAB chairman about the LNG corruption case.
On February 12, the Supreme Court had dismissed Rasheed’s petition seeking a NAB inquiry against Shahid Khaqan Abbasi as well as his disqualification from parliament over the LNG scandal.
The three-member Supreme Court bench, headed by then chief justice of Pakistan Justice Mian Saqib Nisar had ruled that the case can be taken to the NAB. Justice Ijazul Ahsan had added that NAB can summon the respondents if it finds it reasonable.
Rasheed has been claiming since Abbasi’s election as prime minister in August 2017 that the former petroleum minister was guilty of multi-billion rupee corruption.
Abbasi appears before NAB
Shahid Khaqan Abbasi appeared before the National Accountability Bureau in liquefied natural gas (LNG) contract case. The anti-graft watchdog summoned Shahid Khaqan Abbasi to appear before the NAB in an ongoing probe pertaining to LNG the contract case. He was directed to take the LNG agreement with him during his appearance. The sources said that Pakistan Muslim League-N leader was given questionnaire containing 70 questions. The anti-graft asked Abbasi that who approved the conditions of LNG agreement. The former premier was also asked that why the LNG contract was needed. On Feb 8, the Rawalpindi NAB summoned former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi in the liquefied natural gas (LNG) scandal.
The case was registered on the complaint of Shahid Sattar, an energy expert and former member of the Planning Commission and the SSGC board of directors, along with others, accusing Shahid Khaqan Abbasi of misusing his authority and causing a potential $2bn loss to the national exchequer in 15 years.
In December 2016, the NAB had wrapped up an inquiry conducted for 17 months against Abbasi for his alleged role in awarding a Rs220 billion contract for the import and distribution of LNG in 2013.
On 25 October 2018, the NAB reopened the LNG scandal against Shahid Khaqan Abbasi. The NAB has decided to summon the former premier for investigation. However, the anti-graft watchdog sought all records from the concerned ministries.
On September 10, 2018, the Supreme Court directed anti-graft to complete inquiry against former premier Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and others for alleged corruption in the Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) contract with Qatar and submitted report on it.
