LNG scam: NAB turns its guns on ex-PM Khaqan Abbasi’s son

The investigation into a multi-billion-rupee case linking to the award of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) import contract took a new turn after the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) turned its guns to Abdullah Abbasi, son of former premier Shahid Khaqan Abbasi.

The Bureau, in its first-ever investigation report, made shocking claims about hundreds of transactions, worth billions of rupees through companies’ accounts either owned by Shahid Khaqan Abbasi or his son Abdullah Abbasi or his relatives who have now come under intense scrutiny.

"The major flow of Rs1.2 billion showed in three accounts of Abdullah Abbasi in the past five years. Five accounts of [dummy] companies, Travel Routers (owned by Abdullah Abbasi/Saud Abbasi), Blue Water (owned by Abdullah Abbasi/Momin Ali Khan) and Pewar Builders (owned by Abdullah Abbasi) are also being analysed where Rs242 million were traced out while NAB report claimed that Abdullah Abbasi has had no independent source of income," revealed the investigation report, exclusively obtained by The News. "Out of total debit of Rs1.6 billion, a voluminous sum of Rs1.1 billion was withdrawn by Abdullah Abbasi between 2015 to 2019," revealed the report.

The development came days after former premier Abbasi applied for bail in Islamabad High Court, at a time when new amended NAB Ordinance came into force officially. The NAB investigation team in its findings submitted before the accountability court, further revealed that ex-premier Abbasi through his family members and front men/dummy companies maintained accounts for parking ill-gotten money.

"Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, his wife Sameena Shahid, his son Abdullah Abbasi, his brother-in-law Dr Jehanzaib Qureshi, his sister Saadia Abbasi and Abid Riaz received total credit/debit of

Rs1.53 billion from Feb 2015 to Nov 2019. Total credit of Rs22.3 million was found in Shahid Khaqan's account 0010040799270012 in ABL branch Islamabad," revealed the investigation report. A sum of Rs306 million was seen in four accounts of ex-premier Abbasi's relatives namely Abid Riaz and Saadia Abbasi and Rs74 million were credited in the account of Dr Jehanzaib Qureshi, operated between 2011 to July 2019, claimed the report.

Forensic analysis of bank accounts of accused Shahid Khaqan Abbasi disclosed that he paid a sum of Rs3.4 million to The Airblue, an airline established (by Abbasi) in 2003, from August 2011 to May 2017.