Two top PML-N leaders get bail in graft cases

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday granted bail to two senior Pakistan Muslim League-nawaz (PML-N) leaders — former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Ahsan Iqbal — in two separate cases.

Abbasi was arrested by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for allegedly violating rules and causing a loss to the national exchequer in the LNG case.

Iqbal was apprehended by the NAB for his alleged involvement in the Narowal Sports City project case.

Both PML-N leaders were instructed by the court to submit a surety bond of Rs10 million each.

The LNG case against Abbasi, closed by NAB in 2016, was reopened in 2018.

Last year, Bloomberg reported that Pakistan saved more than $600 million “over the first 10 years of a natural gas supply deal by pitting some of the world’s biggest sellers against each other.”

Iqbal was arrested in December 2019 for allegedly using funds from the federal government and the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) for the multi-billion rupee project in his hometown.

However, he maintained that the funds spent on the NSC were approved by the then federal cabinet, parliament and the National Economic Council. He said the project’s plan was revised and expanded.

The bail plea for Iqbal was filed by Azam

Nazeer Tarar, who argued that the allegations are “false, frivolous and absurd” and Iqbal has been arrested due to “political victimisation being the secretary-general” of the ruling party’s main opposition. He said that the anti-graft watchdog has “no evidence” against Iqbal.

Meanwhile, Punjab Law Minister Raja Basharat said the provincial cabinet has decided not to further extend the bail granted on medical grounds to former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, who is currently in London for treatment.

Addressing a press conference alongside other members of the Punjab cabinet, including provincial health minister Dr Yasmin Rashid and information minister Fayyazul Hassan Chohan,

Basharat said the committee has decided that Sharif’s bail can’t be extended further.

He explained that the initial court order said the former premier was granted bail for eight weeks but added that a further eight weeks had passed since then as discussions were underway.

“Till a decision by the Punjab government, this bail was to be automatically extended, therefore it was extended for 16 weeks,” he said.

After the passage of 16 weeks, Basharat said the provincial government wanted to be informed about developments regarding Sharif’s health on the basis of which a decision to extend his bail could be made.