Former prime minister and senior Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said on Tuesday that he had been at a loss to understand for the last three years as to what was the exact nature of the case framed against him by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

Talking to the media outside an accountability court (AC) in Islamabad, he said it was hard to understand as to what had led to the government’s interest in seeking extension in the tenure of NAB Chairman Justice (r) Javed Iqbal. “There is no provision in the law under which his term could be extended,” he stated categorically, and warned that if extension was granted to the present chairman, he would move the Supreme Court (SC) against it.

He said only recently the NAB chairman had been offended by a statement made by PML-N leader Ahsan Iqbal. “And now I am afraid that the NAB might file new cases against him and other PML-N leaders merely because of some of their ‘annoying’ statements,” he said.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KZk1H-ipDo

He was of the view that after paralyzing commercial activities in the country, the so called anti-corruption watchdog was now bent upon denting Pakistan’s relations with other countries.

Abbasi claimed that the last PML-N government had signed an agreement with Qatar for the import of cheapest Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), which had so far helped Pakistan earn $20 billion. “Now the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) government is importing the gas at rates double than those had agreed between the two countries under the deal,” he said, and asked, “Now who has minted money in this entire transaction?” 

Former prime minister said he was aware that the NAB would not launch an inquiry against the government for purchasing the LNG at double rates.

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The PML-N leader said when he looked at the CV of incumbent NAB chairman, he found out that he had been the Supreme Court (SC) judge. “But ironically, he does not have least understanding of the law,” he taunted.

He challenged the government to show hearing of the cases filed against him and other opposition leaders live on television. “This will sift truth from falsehood,” he claimed.

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He went on to add that the SC decisions were enough to prove what the NAB was up to. “The purpose of its formation was political engineering by changing loyalties of the politicians,” he alleged, adding this interference in politics by the Bureau had jammed the country.