Former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Thursday excused himself from appearing before the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in liquefied natural gas (LNG) scam.
On Wednesday, the anti-graft watchdog body had summoned senior leader of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) to appear before it, today.
“I’m ready to appear before the NAB, but need three days time”, Abbasi said in his letter penned to the NAB.
Received the summons from the NAB, yesterday, and it is impossible to show before the body on such short notice, he said in his letter.
The former prime minister is facing charges of corruption and awarding a LNG import contract at exorbitant rates in 2015, which caused a big loss to the national exchequer. Sources said that he had granted a tender worth Rs220 bn to a firm in which he himself was a shareholder.
NAB sources said that Abbasi, in 2013, had awarded a LNG import and distribution contract to the Elengy Terminal in violation of the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) rules and relevant laws.
Earlier on April 26, the names of former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, former finance minister Miftah Ismail and five others had been placed in exit control list in an inquiry into the LNG scandal.
Chairman National Accountability Bureau (NAB), Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal had earlier approved an inquiry against Shahid Khaqan, Miftah Ismail and others for their alleged role in the LNG scandal.
