The Lahore Accountability Court acquitted former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi in a case involving liquefied natural gas (LNG) after the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) withdrew the reference against him.
Judge Rana Javed Nasir, who presided over the court, issued a 10-page verdict on the matter. The decision stated that the NAB chairman must consult with the Prosecutor General before withdrawing a reference. If the reference is withdrawn after charges have been framed, the accused must be acquitted. If the indictment has not yet been framed, a dismissal of the case is sufficient.
Following the court’s decision, the NAB formally withdrew the LNG reference against Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and several others. The accused included former Finance Minister Miftah Ismail, Engro Chairman Hussain Dawood, Engro Board Member Abdul Samad Dawood, and 13 others. The case against Abbasi, originally filed on December 3, 2019, claimed he caused a loss of Rs21 billion to the national treasury. However, he was released on bail by the Islamabad High Court in 2020.
Abbasi, who attended the hearing with his lawyers, spoke to the media outside the judicial complex in Islamabad. He emphasized that the previous government failed to deliver and expressed his support for the current government’s efforts, despite challenges.
In recent developments, Abbasi was reported to have distanced himself from the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and applied to register a new political party with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). He submitted the necessary documents for his party’s registration at the ECP’s headquarters in Islamabad.
On the Iranian President’s visit to Pakistan, Abbasi highlighted the importance of strengthening ties between Iran and Pakistan, stating that the two countries should work to improve their relationship.
