The Accountability Court Thursday remanded former finance minister Miftah Ismail and former managing director Pakistan States Oil (PSO) Sheikh Imran-ul-Haq into National Accountability Bureau's (NAB) custody for 11 days in the liquefied natural gas (LNG) scam. The NAB officials produced Ismail and former MD PSO Sheikh Imran-ul-Haq before Duty Judge Tahir Mehmood for obtaining their physical remand. They also submitted medical report of both the accused before the court.
At the start of hearing, the NAB prosecutor requested 15-year physical remand of the PML-N leader. To this Ismail while expressing surprise, said, "15 years remand!" The prosecutor after realising his mistake apologized and said 15 days, not 15 years. The judge inquired about the card of warrants of Ismail's arrest. To this, the NAB prosecutor told the court that they have the arrest warrants. He submitted a copy of arrest warrants before the court. The prosecutor told the court that the NAB issued arrest warrants of Ismail on July 16 and he was arrested on August 7.
The defence counsel objected to the NAB's request and pleaded the court to reject NAB's application. He told the court that the NAB in its statement on May 30 in the high court said that they will not arrest Ismail. The warrants of arrest has been issued for political victimisation, he claimed.
The court after course of hearing the arguments approved 11-day remand of Ismail and ordered NAB to produce both the suspects on August 19. The NAB arrested Ismail and Haq after Islamabad High Court rejected their bail applications in connection with illegal award of LNG terminal-1 to Engro Energy Terminal Private Limited.
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