NAB files another reference against PML-N's Abbasi, accuses him of illegal appointment
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The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) named former petroleum minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi in a reference for allegedly appointing Sheikh Imranul Haq as the managing director of Pakistan State Oil (PSO) "in sheer violation of rules and regulations".
A statement released by NAB's Karachi chapter on Friday said that non-bailable arrest warrants have been issued for the former prime minister as well as former petroleum secretary Arshad Mirza, who is also named in the reference.
Furthermore, notices have been issued to Haq and and PSO's former deputy MD of finance Yaqoob Suttar — the former deputy MD of finance at PSO. The accused have been ordered to appear before an accountability court on April 10.
In 2018, NAB had presented a report in the Supreme Court, which said that "evidences (sic) showed that the appointment of former PSO MD Sheikh Imranul Haq was illegal and was not made in a transparent manner". The report further said that there was evidence that Haq had a conflict of interest with the PSO due to an LNG agreement with his ex-employer (Engro Corporation).
Haq had also "misused his authority" by promoting Sattar to the post of deputy MD within a month of his joining, the report added.
Abbasi and Haq are already named in another NAB reference in a multi-billion-rupee case related to the award of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) import contract. Former finance minister Miftah Ismail is also named in the LNG case.
Both Abbasi and Ismail were arrested in the LNG case last year and are currently out on bail.
Shehbaz condemns NAB warrants
PML-N president Shehbaz Sharif condemned the issuing of non-bailable warrants against Abbasi, saying, "instead of fighting against the coronavirus, NAB-Niazi are busy fighting the media and opposition."
"On one hand, prisoners are being released and on the other hand, those who served the nation are beig arrested," Sharif said, adding that it was "not the time for political shows".
"[Governments in] the entire world are united to save their people. In Pakistan, the government's priority is to send media and opposition members in jail."
Sharif further said that opposition was willing to work with the government "for the sake of the people but the government was spreading anarchy".
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Comments (72) Closed
Mar 27, 2020 01:20pm
NAB is leaving no chances to embarrass itself.
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Mar 27, 2020 01:23pm
What PMLN?
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Mar 27, 2020 01:27pm
This certainly does not look good for NAB.
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Mar 27, 2020 01:37pm
@Parvez, does not look good for NAB? Is this the same Abassi who stood and watched PIA crumble while promoting his Air Blue? Or the guy that helped Isaq Dar abscond.
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Mar 27, 2020 01:44pm
Please NAB also file reference why coronavirus came to Pakistan
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Mar 27, 2020 01:53pm
Was it not a technically illegal appointment?
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Mar 27, 2020 01:58pm
NAB should itself be banned from head to toe......what shameless bunch.
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Mar 27, 2020 02:14pm
NAB should file reference against people who have given permission to leave Takhtan without screening.
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Mar 27, 2020 02:17pm
NAB is a setup used to kidnap civilians who question the sacred.
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Mar 27, 2020 02:20pm
This is not correct time of arresting him. Nation is fighting with virus and is arresting opposition leaders.
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Mar 27, 2020 02:22pm
What a great country where an emplyee is appointing commander of the fifth latgest establishment of the world and appointments made by the elected minister/prime minister become illegal in the eyes of law. There was a reference filed against shaukat Aziz ex prime minister for illegal appointment of one grade 18 officer.
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Mar 27, 2020 02:24pm
Weldon ,the master of PIA destruction.
Appreciated move. Recovery of wealth is important.
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Mar 27, 2020 02:31pm
He look so innocent... Very sad with dirty politics of IK....rather than helping nation come out of COVID crisis, IK is settling personal score.
Dont worry Mr Abbasi , truth will prevail and we support you, your party and your policies :)
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Mar 27, 2020 02:38pm
Nab should file a reference against the current PM for appointing a serving employee of IMF as SBP Governer who has destroyed the economy through flawed monetary policy causing millions of jobs and massive devaluation in less than a year...
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Mar 27, 2020 02:47pm
Then how about case against Imran khan for PCb and PIA appointment which is even condemned by courts as well.
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Mar 27, 2020 02:47pm
this is a time to get United no divided, hope NAB controller are understanding the gravity of the situation but having said that it could be a diverting tool to hide incompetency against COVID-19.
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Mar 27, 2020 02:53pm
NAB is the biggest enemy of pti gov and Pakistan they are creating hurdles for gov and create confusion so country won't progress in the name accountability.
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Mar 27, 2020 03:01pm
@Tahir Raouf, Against whom?
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Mar 27, 2020 03:05pm
The courts have already trashed this accusation in their judgement for bail for Sheikh Imran-ul Haq
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Mar 27, 2020 03:05pm
Corona will come and go... how many will be left to count, we dont know.
PMLN corruption and corrupt practices will keep on unfolding ...
Corruption is bigger virus than corona. Corruption had engulfed 18 crores of our population out of 20 crores. Kill corona and corruption together.
If these corrupt PMLN and PPP had thought about country then we should sufficient medical infrastructure... now dance on metros and highways.
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Mar 27, 2020 03:10pm
Excellent move
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Mar 27, 2020 03:17pm
What is it time for such stupid reference if i am the incharge of this state at this dangerous time then i will give immediate order to arrest entire NAB fir creating chaos in this crucial juncture of our history .period
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Mar 27, 2020 03:25pm
@A. ALI, what about kpk where the doctors are using shopping bags to prevent themselve from corona.pti was there its the 7th year. In kpk and they have done nothing.punjab under shahbaz was way better and incompetent like buzdar have been installed to detroy punjab.all.blame is for pti and they will have to face it.you cant deny and excuse yourself from it.
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Mar 27, 2020 03:32pm
What happened to the first reference? Why is a second one needed? One at a time, please, too much else happening in the world.
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Mar 27, 2020 03:37pm
@Adnan Bashir, why doesn’t the government make the PIA case then?
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Mar 27, 2020 04:02pm
Hats off for NAB! Just out of curiosity I visited NAB web site to get some information and I am much heartened to note that NAB from its inception till today has recovered as much as 467.354 billion rupees which is definitely an achievement to be truly proud of to be honest. The site also mentions that it filed 3277 cases but for which period of time is not mentioned which should not have been missed out. The site says that 1857 cases have been decided while another 1291 cases are being in progress. What surprises me the most and I am literally clueless as to how it could happen alike unless I utterly failed to understand the rationale behind it. To my understanding there are 7 operational zones from east to west and south to north which is quite fine. Hold your breath to read the news that only Multan and Sukkur are the zones boasting of proclaimed offenders meaning by no proclaimed offenders could be found by rest of the zones. Does it appeal to you, I dare ask? Iqbal Hadi Zaidi
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Mar 27, 2020 04:05pm
Why are all these past corrupt rulers enjoying good time outside the jails?
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Mar 27, 2020 04:07pm
Political victimization
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Mar 27, 2020 04:12pm
NAB should now be given mandate to prosecute the covid 19 and put it in jail
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Mar 27, 2020 04:21pm
Good timing. I was beginning to think this government has changed its priorities towards the Chinese virus and has begun thinking about its citizens. My delusion is now over. They are on track with their correct priorities. No U turns on this PMIK. Keep going. The opposition has to be wiped out not Chinese virus.
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Mar 27, 2020 04:28pm
People always critical of NAB for chasing these opposition politicians yet not one of them will provide real evidence or money trails to clear their name.
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Mar 27, 2020 04:29pm
Shahbaz and other corrupt people are trying to hide behind Corona virus. In fact these people are more dangerous than Corona virus and cancer. Quarantine these people before they get infected others.
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Mar 27, 2020 04:59pm
@Tahir Raouf, it was brought in by MNS
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Mar 27, 2020 05:16pm
New drama in making...after few weeks he will again be a free man...thanks to our beautiful system...eagerly awaiting to fecilitate all the crooks...even on holidays...works overtime to please them...
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Mar 27, 2020 06:17pm
Mr. Shahbaz Shareef and your brother have recked the economy of the country and have enriched yourself at the cost of poor people , you , your brother and Abbasi should be in jail under some trying condition instead of living a life of luxury. Hell is waiting for you.
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Mar 27, 2020 06:30pm
@Tahir Raouf, instead of promoting justice you are promoting corruption.
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Mar 27, 2020 06:55pm
Victimization that's all
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Mar 27, 2020 06:56pm
Most corrupt organisation in the country is torturing best professionals n intellects, discouraging great minds of Pakistan to participate in the success of this nation.
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Mar 27, 2020 07:32pm
NAB is for increasing tensions at the time when country is facing serious threat of coronavirus. I think there is no need of NAB.
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Mar 27, 2020 08:34pm
Corruption is more fearful than Coronavirus for ordinary Pakistanis. Now we have limited resources as our resources were off loaded by our leaders in Europe and USA in real estate and bank deposit.
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Mar 27, 2020 09:02pm
How come politicians ride high from motorcycle to Land Cruisers when entering politics. They collect farms, open land, residential commercial plots and live lavishly.
If someone can give an honest answers, I am ready to believe that all politicians are innocent.
Are you up to the challenge? Go for it.
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Mar 27, 2020 09:14pm
This is unfortunate that NAB is busy capturing current government's opposition leaders and coronal viruse is going rampant. Government should be uniting people at this tough time not dividing. No one is willing to learn a lesson from past mistakes.
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Mar 27, 2020 09:18pm
@Adnan Bashir, how.....? PIA has been on self destruction by their over staffing,, history of loss is spread for more than 20_years... Should commend Airblue for their survival being private entity even durum musharaf time when Shaheen, Aero Asia, Bhoja etc vanished.
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Mar 27, 2020 11:02pm
NAB is against basic human rights. It is a draconian law.
I am not defending anyone.
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Mar 27, 2020 11:38pm
Get these crooks in Jail
They appointed people without merit.
Its time they paid for their mistakes.
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Mar 27, 2020 11:52pm
Political Vendetta in full swing courtesy NAB+PTI.
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Mar 27, 2020 11:55pm
Wonderful! This will create a precedence for later on as Imran Khan appointed Shabbar Zaidi as Chairman FBR in violation of Rules and against a finalised judgment of the Islamabad High Court. Mr. Zaidi, being managing partner of PWC had a glaring conflict of interest with FBR. So, a wonderful step by NAB!
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Mar 28, 2020 12:29am
Now they have fallen so low that after failing to prove any corruption they nail him for some appointment. I am not sure that Shahid Khakan Abbasi's innocence but I am sure that NAB is incompetent, corrupt, a political tool and the most hated institution of the government. They never intend to prosecute anyone.
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Mar 28, 2020 12:41am
@Merge of Equals , That may be so ... but registering cases with a terrible, terrible conviction record certainly does not look good for NAB.
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Mar 28, 2020 12:43am
Is this a joke?
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Mar 28, 2020 01:14am
really disappointed in this. i start to think Pakistan is rising to the occasion but then reality hits hard again. its not like Pakistan doesn't face an existential crisis right now. Jail the opposition for an appointment to a government position instead. quite a far cry from recovering $200B in swiss accounts
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Mar 28, 2020 01:16am
if there is any reckoning to be had, let the government answer for all those allowed into stadiums for PSL while corona virus ravaged China.
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Mar 28, 2020 03:00am
Case after case - who has been convicted ?
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Mar 28, 2020 03:49am
If thus us the criteria for NAB to deal with corruption cases, then every officer in Pakistan who has any kind of appointment power, is guilty of misuse of power and should be arrested. I think NAB CM should recruit other staff and arrest all the grade 17 and above officers. If NAB do honestly look at all the appointments in NAB must have violated the hiring rules one way or the other.
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Mar 28, 2020 04:46am
@Merge of Equals , Dude, grow up.
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Mar 28, 2020 04:49am
Is there going to be any reference by NAB against those responsible for so called "screening" at Taftan? Or does it not require any accountability?
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Mar 28, 2020 05:00am
Can NAB not self-isolate itself?
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Mar 28, 2020 06:01am
NAB is the brainchild of Dictator (former President of Pakistan )!
We better realize it sooner than later. Pakistanis must save Pakistan from the excesses of NAB.
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Mar 28, 2020 06:05am
@A. ALI,
Mr. A. ALI,
You are 100% right.
PPP, PML-N, JUI and ANP are corrupt to the core and bone.
Nobody can deny this.
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Mar 28, 2020 06:07am
@Javed Qamer Engineer Washington DC,
Mr. Javed Qamer Engineer Washington DC,
May I correct you?
Not mistakes but illegal actions.
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Mar 28, 2020 06:24am
@Merge of Equals , and PIA soaring high before that and after and now under Imran, it is world's best airline!
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Mar 28, 2020 06:44am
Why are they bringing such cases which are not sustainable? Who ever in the Imran's Cabinet have conflict of interest. There are people who sit the cabinet who are ineligible by courts We know Imaran Khan want to put all the corrupt people the Jail by hook or by crook
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Mar 28, 2020 06:52am
The PM has full powers to appoint whoever he wants or fire whoever he wants. Just see the people around PM Imran Khan.
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Mar 28, 2020 07:27am
@Javed Qamer Engineer Washington DC, Imran Khan should be the first in jail then
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Mar 28, 2020 07:50am
Don’t hold your breath, Nothing will happen to these criminals if you look at the recent past history.
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Mar 28, 2020 07:53am
Society is so corrupted by these corrupt criminals that they manage to slip away.
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Mar 28, 2020 08:09am
CRIMINALS should be punished period.
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Mar 28, 2020 08:12am
@Tahir Raouf, Pakistani's like you prevent Pakistan from progressing. In these hard times you as a Pakistani should be helping less fortunate Pakistanis instead of asking meaningless questions.
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Mar 28, 2020 08:22am
Shahid Khaqan Abbasi is well connected, and influential man. NAB is doing excellent job. Let this man understand you are not above the law.
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Mar 28, 2020 08:34am
NAB has to stop embarrassing itself. We all know what is going on.
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Mar 28, 2020 09:21am
@Asm123, irresponsible statement.
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Mar 28, 2020 02:13pm
NAB is doomed. A capable person like MR Abbasi is pride of the nation and he will be vindicated on each and every forum
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