Khaqan Abbasi apologises for appointing ex-Justice Javed Iqbal NAB chief

ISLAMABAD: An Accountability Court on Thursday extended physical remand of former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and former finance adviser Miftah Ismail in LNG case.

Both the PMLN leaders were presented before the court by the National Accountability Bureau (NA) which sought extension in their remand. Investigation Office told the court that he has to investigate the records and evidence which he had brought from Karachi.

Waheed Haider, a counsel for Miftah Ismail, told the court that his client is kept in solitary confinement for 23 hours a day, requesting the judge to allow the former adviser to have lunch with Khaqan Abbasi.

He also opposed the NAB’s plea for extension in remand arguing that it would be injustice to extend the remand for 14 more days. The court, however, approved NAB’s plea and asked it to present the suspects on September 26 again.

Later, in an informal talk with media outside the Accountability Court, Khaqan Abbasi said he apologises to the nation for appointing the National Accountability (NAB) chairman. "The name of NAB chairman had come from Pakistan People's Party and appointment was made with consensus".

The PMLN leader said the chief aim of establishing the NAB was to break the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz. Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said he was accused of using a vehicle of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He said he was prime minister of the country and if he knew about such allegations beforehand then he would have hired a tonga or taxi for reaching the Prime Minister Office. He said the NAB is conducting investigation against him and remand is also continuing for 55 days, but it doesn’t know anything about the case.

He questioned what kind of an institution is NAB which institutes a case after arresting a former prime minister. He said he should be told if he had done any corruption. He said the investigation officer says the cabinet decision was wrong. He said it should be decided whether the country will be run by the cabinet or the NAB.