IHC seeks NAB’s reply in Ahsan Iqbal, Khaqan Abbasi bail pleas

PML-N leaders cite harassment and political victimisation as motive behind the cases

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday sought reply within one week from the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on bail pleas of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders Ahsan Iqbal and former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi in Narowal Sports City Complex and LNG cases respectively.

A division bench, comprising Chief Justice Athar Minallah and Justice Lubna Saleem Pervaiz, conducted hearing on bail petition of Iqbal.

The petition stated that the PML-N leader did not face any allegation of corruption and never refused to appear before the NAB investigators. It prayed the court to grant Iqbal a post-arrest bail till the conclusion of corruption case against him.

The petitioner stated that the anti-graft body had taken him into its custody when he had joined investigation on December 19, last year. He said that he was facing an allegation that Narowal Sport Complex was a provincial matter, but it was constructed through the budget given by the federal government.

Ahsan Iqbal sent on 14-day judicial remand

In May 2018, the anti-corruption watchdog had initiated probe against the then minister for planning, Ahsan Iqbal for his alleged involvement in irregularities committed in the sports city project.

While hearing the bail plea of former premier Abbasi, filed through Barrister Zafarullah Khan, the same bench directed the bureau to submit its reply till next Monday.

The petitioner prayed the court to approve the post-arrest bail until completion of his trial in the LNG reference filed by NAB. The petition stated that another co-accused in this case, Sheikh Imranul Haq, had already been given bail.

The petitioner stated that he had been in NAB custody for the last 191 days and claimed that the anti-graft body’s motive was just to harass him and political victimisation. He stated that that the NAB had filed an interim reference against him and others, adding that the copies of the reference were yet to be shared with them.

After hearing arguments, the bench served notices to the accountability bureau and sought reply within one week.

Abbasi was taken into custody on July 18, 2019 in the liquefied natural gas (LNG) scam. He was accused of granting contract on LNG terminal to ETPL, Tri-partil agreement, LSA with EETPL and LNG import from Qatar when he was minister for petroleum and natural resources in the previous PML-N government.