ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister and senior Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi filed on Monday a petition in the Islamabad High Court, seeking extension in protective bail.

On March 30, the high court had granted protective bail for four weeks to Mr Abbasi and former petroleum secretary Arshad Mirza in a case pertaining to alleged illegal appointments of the managing director and deputy managing director of the Pakistan State Oil (PSO).

Mr Abbasi adopted in the petition that he could not travel to Karachi due to the lockdown within the stipulated time period. He requested the court to extend the protective bail enabling him to travel to Karachi where he is supposed to attend the accountability court’s proceedings.

PML-N leader accused of violating rules in making appointments in PSO

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had in March filed the reference against Mr Abbasi and Mr Mirza for appointing Sheikh Imranul Haq as managing director and Yaqoob Sattar as deputy managing director (finance) of the PSO allegedly in violation of rules and regulations.

NAB accused Mr Abbasi of misusing his authority by appointing the former managing director and deputy managing director of the PSO and others in violation of rules and regulations, causing a loss of Rs138.96 million to the exchequer.

Former finance minister Miftah Ismail and former PSO managing director Sheikh Imranul Haq have also been nominated as accused in this case.

Mr Abbasi had made these appointments when he was minister for petroleum and natural resources.

NAB had filed this reference against the former prime minister in the accountability court of Karachi following his release on bail by the accountability court of Islamabad in a reference related to the LNG terminal project.

Mr Abbasi was released in February this year after remaining behind bars for over seven months.

Published in Dawn, May 5th, 2020