ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) senior leader and former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, on Monday, said the allied parties of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) will decide whether the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) will remain part of the alliance or not.

Talking to media after appearing before the Accountability Court in Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) case against him and others, he said he believes that a party, which losses the confidence of the coalition then there is no possibility of their joining the PDM.

However, he said that allied parties in the PDM will take the final decision in this regard.

When he was asked that how he look at the demand of PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari that the PDM should apologise to the PPP and the Awami National Party (ANP), he said that the PDM had asked from the PPP that why they collaborated with the government and the Establishment.

“He looks into the demand of apology by the PPP chairman, the way he tore apart the show-cause notice of the PDM,” he said.

To a question about Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) protest following the arrest of its chief, he said that ask this question from the government as they made agreements with the TLP. He said that a truth commission should be constituted to find out what happened in 2016, 2017, and 2018.

“We have exposed the present accountability system and the time is not far when accountability will be done of those who were doing it,” Abbasi said, adding that accountability will be conducted of those who destroyed the economy of this country and are telling lies.

Earlier, he appeared before the Accountability Court-II judge, Muhamamd Azam Khan, in the LNG case against him and others.

The court marked his attendance and allowed him to go.

The defence counsel of different accused conducted cross-examination of prosecution witness, Hassan Bhatti, an assistant director of Ministry of Petroleum.

It is correct that I am not the author of documents I have produced during the course of evidence, the witness said to a question asked by the Muhammad Akhlaq Awan, counsel for Abdullah Khaqan Abbasi and Muhammad Aslam.

The witness said that it is also correct that any of the documents he produced were not addressed to him.

It is correct that on the basis of the interim reference, supplementary reference was filed.

Usman Mirza, National Accountability Bureau (NAB) prosecutor, while objecting to the defence counsel’s question, said that the reference has been filed by an investigation officer (IO) and this question cannot be asked from the witness.

To another question, the witnessed replied that it is correct that the names of Abdul Khaqan Abbasi and Chaudhary Aslam are not mentioned in his statement throughout.

It is correct that accused Abdullah Khaqan Abbasi and Aslam never remained at the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources.

To a question asked by Dr Yaser Aman Khan, counsel for the accused, Saeed Ahmed Khan, the witness said that when he had joined the service there was no Ministry of Petroleum but a Ministry of Energy Petroleum Division.

I had the idea that the documents I produced before the IO would be formed part of the reference filed in the court, he said, adding that the IO told him that the documents would be made part of the reference but he could not recall at which stage he was informed so.

All these documents which I had produced were mere photocopies and non of them original, he said.

The witness said that he has never received any call off notice from the IO or office of the NAB.

I only have received a summons from this court once, he said.

He said that gazetted holidays are observed at the Petroleum Division, in the office of Director General (DG), however, an event of some exigency may be call to attain office. Draft policy bear the date as August 14, 2011, which is a gazetted holiday.

I have the idea of attestation which is done after having properly seen the original documents, he said.

When he was asked do you have any idea that you would be appearing as a witness before this court, he said that he did not have the idea that he would be serving as on one of the witnesses.

However, after having discussion with some officer, I got the idea that I may be required to be a prosecution witness, he said.

The defence did not complete cross-examination of the witness, and he will continue it during the next hearing to be held on April 20.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021