The Accountability Court Thursday extended physical remand of former prime minister and senior leader of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Shahid Khaqan Abbasi for another 14 days in the liquefied natural gas (LNG) case.
The officials of National Accountability Bureau (NAB) produced Abbasi before Duty Judge Accountability Court Shahrukh Arjumand on expiry of his remand term.
The NAB prosecutor requested the court to extend physical remand of Abbasi for another 14 days as the Bureau wants to investigate him regarding the award of LNG Terminal-I.
The court asked the NAB prosecutor for how many days the suspect has been on remand. The NAB prosecutor replied the suspect has been on remand for 41 days.
Abbasi did not object to the NAB's request for extension in his physical remand and urged the court to grant it (NAB) 90 days remand in one-go. "I have told them several times that I did not commit any corruption or wrongdoing; therefore, they should conduct their inquiry," he added.
The court after hearing arguments of both the parties extended the physical remand of the accused for another 14 days.
The NAB had arrested Abbasi from Thokar Niaz Baig Interchange, Lahore, on July 18 after he failed to appear before a NAB's investigation team in connection with the LNG scam.
According to the NAB's arrest warrants, Abbasi is accused of committing corruption and corrupt practices under the Section 9 (a) of National Accountability Ordinance, 1999.
"The competent authority has taken cognizance of an offence committed by you under the provision of National Accountability Ordinance (NAO), 1999 on the allegation of deceitfully, fraudulently and dishonestly causing loss to the national exchequer, misuse of authority and obtaining pecuniary advantage through corrupt, dishonest and illegal means during the award of LNG Terminal-I," said the NAB's arrest warrants.
"The investigation has revealed that you are in possession of information and evidence regarding the award of LNG Terminal-I to M/s EETPL, etc, which relates to the commission of the said offence," according to the arrest warrants.