ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Monday chided National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and its former chairman retired Justice Javed Iqbal and held him responsible for the logjam of present economic crises.
While talking to the press, the vice president of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) said the two brought great harm to the country, without clarifying. He added the dirty money watchdog played a crucial role in ruining the economic condition of the country.
The former prime minister said investors feared the accountability laws of the agency and they hesitated in investing in the country.
While lashing out at the agency and its former chief, he said several “bogus cases” were filed against the leadership of PML-N and an environment of “political victimisation” was created for them.
He termed the NAB responsible for the current economic crisis of the country.
Meanwhile, an accountability court in Islamabad on Monday adjourned until December 20 the hearing on a liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal project against him without holding any proceedings due to the unavailability of the accountability judge.
Judge Azam Khan’s term of office has been completed and a new appointment is being awaited to proceed further.
The agency, in 2018, ordered an inquiry against Abbasi, former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and “others for granting a 15-year contract of LNG terminal to a company of their liking in violation of rules and by misuse of their powers, which caused national exchequer a loss of billions of rupees”.
Abbasi was the mastermind behind Pakistan’s push to embrace LNG after the PML-N party swept to power in a 2013 election. Pakistan is now seen as one of the world’s fastest-growing LNG markets.
