IHC grants ex-premier Abbasi protective bail in illegal appointment case

F.P. Report

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court on Monday granted protective bail to ex- prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi in illegal appointment case.

The Islamabad High Court granted protective bail to Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) for four weeks.

Former Prime Minister had filed a petition in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) seeking protective bail in an illegal appointment case against him. Barrister Zafarullah Khan has filed the petition on Abbasi’s behalf on Saturday.

The Accountability Court, Karachi, on Friday issued non-bailable warrants for former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi in a reference about the illegal appointment.

The anti-graft watchdog also filed second reference against Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi in the illegal appoint of Imran-ul-Haq as PSO managing director in a Karachi accountability court.

NAB in December last year filed a reference in the accountability court against Mr Abbasi, Mr Ismail, former managing director of the Pakistan State Oil (PSO) Sheikh Imranul Haq, former chairman of Ogra Saeed Ahmed Khan, Ogra chairperson Uzma Adil Khan, Engro group chairman Hussain Dawood, former chairman of the Port Qasim Authority (PQA) Agha Jan Akhtar, former member of Ogra Aamir Naseem, another former managing director of PSO Shahid M. Islam and PSO official Abdul Sammad.

Mr Abbasi was arrested in connection with the case in July. He is accused of awarding a 15-year contract for an LNG terminal allegedly when he was petroleum minister in former prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s cabinet.

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) had granted bail to Abbasi in Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) reference on February 25.