The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Wednesday started investigation against former prime minister and then petroleum minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi for alleged misuse of power with respect to liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal project. An official said Bureau approved investigations against Abbasi, former secretary Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Resources Arshad Mirza, former managing director PSO Sheikh Imran-ul-Haq and other officials in its Executive Board Meeting (EBM) presided over by NAB chairman former Justice Javed Iqbal.
The Supreme Court on September 10, 2018 directed NAB to complete inquiry into the matter and submit report.
The case was registered against Abbasi in 2015 on the complaint of Shahid Sattar, an energy expert at NAB Karachi for awarding the LNG import contract which allegedly caused a huge loss to national exchequer.
In February this year, the Supreme Court of Pakistan fixed a plea filed by Awami Muslim League (AML) president Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, seeking disqualification of Abbasi over alleged corruption in award of LNG import contract. The petition requested the SC to order NAB to take action against Abbasi in this regard.
The NAB official said Bureau also approved initiation of probe against PSO deputy MD Yaqub Sattar and former president Bank of Punjab Naeemuddin Khan.
The official said Bureau also okayed 20 corruption inquiries against different persons including former MNA Mian Imtiaz, former Sindh ministers Sohail Anwer Sial, Jam Khan Shoro, Zahid Ali, former Attorney General of Pakistan former Justice Malik Muhammad Qayyum, former secretary information technology Farooq Awan and other officials.
The NAB EMB referred an inquiry against Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) officials to Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and the matter related to appointment of principal of Girls Cadet College Mardan to Chief Secretary Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for further investigation.