Khaqqan Abbasi acquitted in illegal recruitment case

KARACHI: Accountability Court has acquitted former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and all other defendants in a reference about illegal recruitments in the Pakistan State Oil (PSO).

The Accountability Court heard the reference regarding the illegal appointment of the Managing Director of PSO. The court granted the NAB officials’ request to withdraw the reference, ordering its return to the NAB Chairman.

Besides Abbasi, other acquitted individuals include former MD PSO Sheikh Imran Haq, former Secretary Petroleum Arshad Mirza, and former MD PSO Yaqub Sattar.

Speaking to the media outside the Accountability Court, Abbasi expressed his joy at the acquittal, stating that it had taken four years and two months for NAB to withdraw the reference. He highlighted that the judge had acquitted four defendants in the case, while another individual had been facing charges for 12 years.

He criticized the fact that only one witness, brought by NAB, had testified against them, and that witness had not made any accusations against them.

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Abbasi stated that the case was not about corruption but misuse of authority, and called for the abolition of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

Abbasi pointed out that in Sindh, securing bail in NAB cases requires approaching the High Court, and that this case was not about corruption but misuse of authority. He argued that cases are often fabricated against political figures, and he had endured this case for years.

The former Prime Minister concluded by stating that the truth of the case had come to light in court, and that such cases are often initiated for political engineering. He emphasized the need for all stakeholders in Pakistan to sit together and address all issues. He highlighted that he has initiated a program to improve future processes, and that countries often cited as examples resolve cases within three to four days.