ISLAMABAD: The accountability court of Islamabad on Thursday extended the physical remand of former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, ex-finance minister Miftah Ismail and former PSO managing director Imranul Haq for another 14 days.
Mr Abbasi, Mr Miftah and Mr Imran were produced in the crowded courtroom of Judge Muhammad Bashir.
I feared that I will also get penalised of false case.
During the hearing, the NAB’s investigation officer informed the court that new evidences had been emerged during the Karachi raids and requested the court for an extension in suspects’ remand for further interrogation.
Judge Bashir recalled the remarks of CJP Khosa that these are the political cases, “I feared that I will also get penalised of false case.”
Read More: Ahad Cheema judicial remand extended till September 26
Abbasi, who has been defending himself in the case, said that court should grant the remand of 90 days of all the suspects in the case.
The PML-N leaders are accused of being involved in awarding a 15-year contract for an LNG terminal against the rules when Abbasi was petroleum minister in the cabinet of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif.
The case was closed by NAB in 2016, but reopened in 2018.
Accountability Judge Muhammad Bashir, who heard NAB’s pleas for extension in physical remand of Abbasi, Ismail and former Pakistan State Oil (PSO) managing director Sheikh Imranul Haq, said that Abbasi had been in NAB custody for 56 days and “this is the final extension the court is giving in his remand”.
Meanwhile, the court granted 14-day physical remand and ordered them to appear in court on September 26.
INP
