NAB withdraws reference against Shahid Khaqan Abbasi

KARACHI: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Monday decided to withdraw reference related to ‘illegal’ appointments in the Pakistan State Oil (PSO).

NAB had filed a reference against ex-PM Abbasi and the then petroleum secretary for alleged appointments in the PSO by violating rules and regulations.

The accused caused loss of Rs138 million to the national exchequer, the NAB claimed.

In today’s hearing in the accountability court, the NAB team forwarded a request to withdraw the case, which was accepted by the court.

The court ordered the graft-buster body to send back the reference to the NAB chairman.

It is to be noted that accountability court in 2020 indicted former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and three others in a reference about alleged illegal appointments to two key posts in the Pakistan State Oil (PSO).

The former prime minister, who had been appearing before the court kept on demanding evidence against him in the reference filed by NAB.

The hearings of PSO appointment reference continued for over four years, but NAB, today, withdrew the reference.