Pakistani Court Places Ex-Prime Minister Into 13-Day Custody Over Graft Charges - Reports

Faizan Hashmi Published July 19, 2019 | 07:06 PM

An Islamabad court remanded on Friday former Pakistani Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi into the custody of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), Pakistan's anti-corruption watchdog, for 13 days over corruption charges, local media reported

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 19th July, 2019) An Islamabad court remanded on Friday former Pakistani Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi into the custody of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), Pakistan's anti-corruption watchdog, for 13 days over corruption charges, local media reported.

Abbasi was arrested by NAB on Thursday on corruption charges following his failure to appear before the bureau for questioning earlier that day.

According to the Pakistani Express Tribune news outlet, Abbasi will appear for a court hearing on the case on August 1.

Abbasi is being accused of allegedly granting a 15-year contract for liquefied natural gas imports to a company of his preference during his time as minister of petroleum and natural resources. NAB accuses Abbasi of misusing his powers and costing the national treasury billions of rupees in losses. Abbasi has maintained his innocence.