Ex-PM Khaqan Abbasi acquitted in LNG reference

An accountability court has acquitted former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi in the LNG reference today.

The development came after the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) withdrew its reference filed against the former prime minister.

Judge Nasir Javed Rana of the accountability court announced the verdict acquitting former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and all other accused in the LNG reference.

Earlier, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi appeared before the court along with his lawyers.

It should be noted that the LNG NAB reference was filed against Shahid Khaqan Abbasi a few years ago, in which the former prime minister was charged on November 16, 2020.

Last year, former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi asserted that either the country will be governed by the rule of law, or by NAB.

Abbasi while talking to the media outside National Accountability Bureau (NAB) court in Karachi  said: “We ask the NAB and the court what are our cases. Look at the cases of Nawaz Sharif, how the court issued decisions before the election. But after five years he has been acquitted by the High Court”.

The former PM said now Nawaz Sharif is acquitted, someone should ask former chairman National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Javed Iqbal that why he was creating these fake cases.

Abbasi expressed frustration with the NAB and called for a justice system based on fairness and transparency, adding ” If you want to run the country then there should be no NAB.”