ISLAMABAD: Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday granted bail to the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) leaders Ahsan Iqbal and Shahid Khaqan Abbasi.
A two-member bench, headed by Chief Justice IHC Athar Minallah, heard the petition against Ahsan Iqbal at the Narrowal Sports City Complex on a bail plea in which Additional Prosecutor National Accountability Bureau (NAB) appeared before the court.
Additional Prosecutor NAB opposed Ahsan Iqbal’s request for bail, saying that the accused fled abroad and also falsely tempered the record. On which the court wondered and asked that how can the accused have access to public office and records? And if the suspect fears escaping, put his name in the Exit Control List (ECL).
Additional prosecutor NAB told the court that if Ahsan Iqbal submitted his passport to the court, there was no objection to bail. Later, the court granted bail against Ahsan Iqbal’s bail for a crore rupees and ordered his release.
Shahid Khaqan Abbasi’s LNG Case
A two-member bench headed by Chief Justice IHC Athar Minallah the petition of Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on bail in the liquefied natural gas (LNG) case. The bench ordered the former minister to submit Rs. 10 million surety bond for bail.
The PML-N leader earlier this month filed a post-arrest bail petition in Islamabad High Court. The petition seeks the high court to approve the bail until completion of his trial in NAB’s LNG reference.
A copy of the court decision with regard to bail granted to Shaikh Imranul Haq, a co-accused in the LNG case, has also been attached with the petition.
“The petitioner has been in NAB detention for 191 days and the real motive of the accountability bureau is only to harass the petitioner,” the plea argued. It was initiated for his media trial, according to the plea.
