LNG case: Court approves 11-day physical remand of Miftah Ismail

An Accountability Court (AC) in Islamabad approved an 11-day physical remand of former Finance Minister and Pakistan Muslim LeagueNawaz (PML-N) leader Miftah Ismail and former Managing Director of Pakistan State Oil (PSO) Sheikh Imran-ul-Haq in the LNG case.

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had on Thursday produced the suspects before Duty Judge Tahir Mehmood as AC Judge Muhammad Bashir was on leave. The investigation officer submitted a copy of the arrest warrant when the court inquired about the cause for arrest.

The anti- graft agency officials also submitted Miftah Ismail's medical report in the court. In a slip of tongue, the NAB prosecutor requested a 15-year physical remand of the PML-N leader. The prosecutor apologized after realizing the mistake and asked for a 15-day remand.

Miftah Ismail's counsel objected to the appeal for the physical remand, however, the court granted an 11-day remand of both suspects and directed the NAB to produce them before the court on August 19.

The anti-corruption watchdog had Wednesday (yesterday) arrested Miftah Ismail and Imran-ul-Haq after their bail plea was rejected by the Islamabad High Court (IHC). The apex court on September 10, 2018 had directed the NAB to complete the inquiry against former premier Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Miftah Ismail and others for the alleged corruption in the LNG contract.

As the minister for petroleum and natural resources, he has been accused of granting contract on LNG Terminal to ETPL, Tri-partial agreement, LSA with EETPL and LNG import from Qatar etc.