NAB Withdraws LNG Reference Against Shahid Khaqan Abbasi
Miftah Ismail and 15 others have also been acquitted in the case filed against them almost five years ago.
On Tuesday, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) withdrew the reference against former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi in the liquefied natural gas (LNG) case. The Accountability Court Judge Nasir Javed Rana, presiding over the case, approved NAB’s request.
This decision also extended to other accused individuals, including former Finance Minister Miftah Ismail and fifteen others. Abbasi, who was previously incarcerated alongside Ismail, was granted bail by the Islamabad High Court in 2020.
The reference, filed on December 3, 2019, had alleged Abbasi’s involvement in causing a loss of Rs21 billion to the national exchequer.
More recently, Abbasi has distanced himself from the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and submitted paperwork to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for the registration of his new political party.
During statements concerning the visit of the Iranian president to Pakistan, Abbasi emphasized the importance of strengthening ties with neighboring Iran.