Khaqan gets protective bail in recruitment case

Staff 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. Islamabad High Court (IHC) has granted bail to former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and former secretary petroleum Arshad Mirza in alleged illegal appointment of MD PSO case.
According to details, bail plea was heard by two member bench of IHC headed by Chief Justice IHC. Barrister Zafarullah, who represented both suspects, informed the court that both accused are in Islamabad and his clients did not received any summon issued by NAB. Court accepted the bail plea of both plaintiffs and granted bail for four weeks.