ISLAMABAD: An accountability court on Thursday extended the physical remand of Pakistan’s former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi till August 15 in a case involving a multibillion-rupee liquefied natural gas (LNG) import contract to Qatar.
Abbasi, who is also the vice president of the opposition Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party, was arrested in July and presented in Judge Bashir Ahmed’s court. Speaking to journalists before his trial, Abbasi called his arrest as “an attack on democracy.”
The former prime minister was brought to the same court on Thursday by Pakistan’s anti-graft body, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), that requested the presiding judge to extend Abbasi’s physical remand.
The court granted the request, asking NAB officials to bring him back on August 15.
It may be recalled that NAB ordered an inquiry into Abbasi over the alleged misappropriation of funds in the import of LNG that the agency claimed had caused a loss of about $2 billion to the national exchequer.
He is also being investigated for allegedly granting a 15-year contract for an LNG terminal to a “favored” company. Abbasi rejects the allegations.
Anti graft body extends ex PM Abbasi’s physical remand in Qatar gas deal
Anti graft body extends ex PM Abbasi’s physical remand in Qatar gas deal
- The former prime minister was arrested by NAB in a case involving LNG import contract to Qatar
- Abbasi described the corruption reference against him as ‘an attack on democracy’
Pakistan says 13 militants killed in counterterror operations in northwest
- Security forces kill 13 militants in northwestern Bannu and Mohmand districts, says military’s media wing
- Military vows to continue action against militants at “full pace” to eliminate “foreign-sponsored terrorism“
PESHAWAR: Security forces killed 13 militants affiliated with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) or Pakistani Taliban this week in the country’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province during two counterterror operations, the military’s media wing said on Sunday.
The first of the two operations, which took place on Dec. 12-13, was carried out in KP’s Mohmand district. Seven militants belonging to the TTP were killed during the operation, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement.
The second operation took place in Bannu district where six militants were killed. The ISPR said security forces were carrying out sanitization operations in the area to eliminate any more “Indian-sponsored kharji” in the area.
“Security Forces and Law Enforcement Agencies of Pakistan will continue at full pace to wipe out the menace of foreign-sponsored and supported terrorism from the country,” the ISPR vowed.
Pakistan’s military frequently uses the term “khawarij” to describe the TTP. It accuses India of arming and funding militant groups in KP and Balochistan provinces, charges that New Delhi has denied.
Islamabad alleges that TTP militants and other outfits plan militant attacks on Pakistan from Afghanistan and enjoy sanctuary in the country.
Kabul rejects these allegations and says it cannot be held responsible for Pakistan’s security, which it says is Islamabad’s internal matter.
These allegations have triggered tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan, resulting in deadly border clashes in October that killed dozens of soldiers.
