ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz vice president Shahid Khaqan Abbasi claimed on Friday that the institutions had played a role in the election of Senate chairman.

Talking to media persons after appearing before an accountability court in connection with the hearing of LNG terminal reference, Mr Abbasi ruled out any differences among the component parties of the Pakistan Democratic Movement.

He said the mystery of 14 votes (Senate Chairman) Sadiq Sanjrani had secured in 2018 was yet to be resolved. This was an insult of the upper house of parliament that Mr Sanjrani obtained 14 votes more than those of the parties supporting him, the PML-N leader added.

Miftah Ismail’s lawyer concludes cross-examination of prosecution witness in LNG terminal case

He claimed that this time at least three big contractors had been elected senator on the ticket of the ruling party and alleged that they had “paid billions of rupees” to secure the seats. He pointed out that one of the contractors who took the oath as senator on Friday had executed the Multan Metro Bus project.

Reference hearing

The counsel for former finance minister Miftah Ismail, co-accused in the LNG terminal case, concluded cross-examination of prosecution witness Hassan Bhatti.

The prosecution of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) produced the witness before the accountability judge.

At the outset of the hearing, when the defence counsel pointed out that the lawyers were observing strike in Islamabad, the prosecutor said that the lawyers were appearing before the Supreme Court and Islamabad High Court and were observing strike at the district and sessions court level only.

According to NAB, Mr Abbasi was involved in the award of contract for LNG Terminal-I at Port Qasim, Karachi, to M/s EETPL at exorbitant rates. It has been claimed in the reference that Mr Abbasi got the Fast Track LNG Project cancelled by the Economic Coordination Committee on June 27, 2013, and awarded the LNG terminal contract to M/s EETPL.

The reference alleges that one LNG company received benefit of billions of rupees because of the contract and, the national exchequer would suffer a loss of Rs47 billion by 2029 if the contract in question continues.

Mr Abbasi is accused of awarding the 15-year contract for the LNG terminal in violation of rules when he was petroleum minister in the cabinet of then prime minister Nawaz Sharif.

Published in Dawn, March 13th, 2021