LNG terminal case: NAB seeks arrest warrants for former Pakistan premier Shahid Khaqan Abbasi

• NAB says former premier travelled without permission
• Abbasi's lawyer says federal cabinet granted one-time waiver
• The court dismissed NAB's plea to issue arrest warrants for Abbasi after seeing the waiver

ISLAMABAD: An accountability court in the federal capital dismissed National Accountability Bureau's (NAB) request seeking arrest warrants for the former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi to travel abroad.

The development came during the hearing of the Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Terminal Project corruption reference filed by the National Accountability Bureau.

In the reference, the anti-graft watchdog has accused Abbasi of being involved in the award of LNG Terminal-I contract to M/s EETPL at Port Qasim in Karachi, at exorbitant rates.

In today's hearing, Abbasi's counsel Barisster Zafarullah Khan submitted a request seeking an exemption from a personal appearance in court for his client.

Following which, the bureau asked accountability court judge Azam Khan to issue arrest warrants for the former premier. The NAB prosecutor said Abbasi travelled abroad without taking permission.

However, the defense counsel maintained that his client travelled abroad after a sub-committee of the federal cabinet granted a one-time waiver.

The accountability court sought details of the waiver. After it was presented in the court, the bench dismissed NAB's plea to issue arrest warrants.

Read more: Pakistan faces severe gas crisis in January as LNG trading companies take a back seat on bidding

Travelling abroad

Last month, Abbasi left for the United States to visit his hospitalised sister and brother-in-law in the state of Pennsylvania. Family sources told The News that the couple had tested positive for the coronavirus.

Although Abbasi was placed on the Exit Control List (ECL), his lawyers moved the authorities to grant him permission to visit his family. The matter was placed before the cabinet and the former prime minister was given a one-time permission to travel.

Sources said Abbasi plans to return in 10 days.