Witness testifies in LNG reference against Abbasi

Court makes documents part of record; adjourns hearing till Dec 22

ISLAMABAD:

An accountability court on Tuesday recorded testimony of a prosecution witness in the Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) reference against former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and others.

Accountability Court-II Judge Muhammad Azam Khan heard the reference filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

Abbasi and other accused appeared before the court.

At the outset of the hearing, the court recorded the statement of NAB witness Hassan Bhatti, a petroleum ministry official.

The defence counsel raised objections over the statement, saying that the NAB prosecutor was trying to influence the witness.

The prosecutor said the witness wanted to present the relevant record and he did not know about bringing it on the court record.

The witness presented the record pertaining to a letter from former Pakistan State Oil managing director Imranul Haq to Shahid Khaqan Abbasi dated July 13, 2013, list of participants of the meeting for LNG import, correspondence with American non-governmental organisation and consultant and other documents.

The court made the documents as part of the case record and adjourned the case till December 22. Earlier, the court allowed Abbasi to leave the court after marking the attendance.

Meanwhile, AC-III Judge Syed Asghar Ali granted more time to the defence lawyer till January 4, for arguments on acquittal pleas of former prime minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf and others in Reshma and Gulf Rental Power references. (With input from APP)