KARACHI: An accountability court has indicted former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi in a case related to alleged illegal appointments of the managing director and deputy managing director of the Pakistan State Oil (PSO).
Shahid Khaqan Abbasi along with former petroleum secretary Arshad Mirza and others appeared before the court. During the hearing, the accused pleaded not guilty in the courtroom.
Previously, the Islamabad High Court granted Abbasi granted protective bail to the former prime minister in a case related to alleged illegal appointments.
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Abbasi approached the IHC for interim bail after an accountability court in Karachi on 27th March issued non-bailable arrest warrants against him in a case related to misuse of authority. The warrants were issued after the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) filed a reference accusing the Abbasi of appointing former-MD Pakistan State Oil Imranul Haq in violation of rules.
Earlier in February, the Executive Board (EB) of the NAB had approved filling a fresh reference against Abbasi over illegal appointments that caused a loss of Rs138.86 million. Abbasi is also facing an allegation of corruption by awarding an LNG import contract at exorbitant prices in 2015.
