Arguments Continue In LNG Case

The Accountability Court of Islamabad on Tuesday continued hearing arguments of lawyers on the jurisdiction of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in the LNG reference against former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and others

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 10th Jan, 2023 ) :The Accountability Court of Islamabad on Tuesday continued hearing arguments of lawyers on the jurisdiction of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in the LNG reference against former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and others.

Accountability Court Judge Nasir Javed Rana heard the case wherein the former prime minister could not attend the proceedings due to medical reasons.

His lawyer Barrister Zafarullah informed the court that his client was unable to appear due to infected with COVID-19 infection, and requested a one-time exemption for his appearance. The court accepted the request.

The court also granted a one-time exemption from appearance to co-accused Sheikh Imran ul Haq.

At the outset of the hearing, NAB Prosecutor Usman Mirza requested the court to decide its jurisdiction on the LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) reference before starting the trial.

Barrister Zafarullah argued that the last government had accused his client of installing an LNG terminal illegally and without need, and then it also installed a terminal.

Shahid Khaqan Abbasi was among the top tax payers as per the previous government, he said, adding the allegation of money laundering could be levelled only when any amount was illegally transported.

The lawyer said no power project was launched during the last (PTI) government as no investor was ready to come to Pakistan.

He said the laws like the NAB ordinance were introduced to victimise the politicians, citing the remarks given by the Supreme Court against NAB during the hearing of Saad Rafiq case.

He prayed the court to take all the facts in view while deciding the case.

The counsel for the co-accused MD Air Blue Chaudhry Aslam requested the court to dismiss the reference instead of sending it back to NAB so that his client could approach the sessions court.

The case was subsequently adjourned till January 24.