IHC to hear bail pleas of Shahid Khaqan, Ahsan Iqbal today

ISLAMABAD: Islamabad High Court will hear the bail pleas filed by Pakistan Muslim League-N leaders Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Ahsan Iqbal today.

Shahid Khaqan Abbasi whereas the Narowal Sports City corruption case was booked under Ahsan Iqbal’s name.

Previously, due to the absence of IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah, the bail petitions of both leaders were extended without any proceedings as the judge was on sick leave.

Shahid Khaqan Abbasi is facing charges of corruption over awarding an LNG import contract allegedly at exorbitant rates in 2015. He was arrested by NAB while en-route to Thokar Niaz Baig in Lahore on 18th July.

Whereas Ahsan Iqbal was arrested on 23rd December last by the National Accountability Bureau. Since then, Iqbal has been seeking post-arrest bail. He insisted that the funds allocated on the NSC were authorized by the Federal Cabinet, Parliament and the National Economic Council at that time. The plan for the project had been revised and expanded. He was also hospitalized last month due to his worsened condition, he added.

Read more: Shahid Khaqan receives parole on humanitarian grounds

Ahsan Iqbal earlier while criticising the incumbent government’s performance economically, said that the inflation rate in the country has been surged by 14 percent.

Iqbal said that inflation has broken all past records. The economic crisis was a result of the incumbent government’s incompetence, he added.

He said that the ineligibility of the incumbent government damaged the country in 18 months.