Fresh corruption case against former Pak PM Shahid Abbasi

Pakistan's former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has been charged with misusing authority and corruption when making appointments in a state-owned petroleum corporation, the country's anti-corruption watchdog said on Friday.

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) filed the case in an anti-corruption court in Karachi, accusing Abbasi of violating rules while appointing Sheikh Imranul Haq as the managing director of Pakistan State Oil (PSO).

Abbasi, 61, reportedly made the appointment while serving as minister for petroleum in former premier Nawaz Sharif's Cabinet.

The NAB said non-bailable arrest warrants were issued against Abbasi and his then secretary Arshad Mirza, who is also named in the case. Notices have also been sent to Haq and the PSO's then deputy managing director of Finance Yaqoob Suttar.

All the accused have to appear before the accountability court on April 10.

This is the second corruption case against Abbasi, a senior Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) member, who secured bail earlier this month in a case related to the "dubious" awarding of a liquefied natural gas import contract.

Haq was also named in the case along with former finance minister Miftah Ismail.

PML-N president Shehbaz Sharif condemned the fresh case and non-bailable warrant against Abbasi.

"Instead of fighting the coronavirus, NAB and Niazi (Prime Minister Imran Khan) are busy fighting the media and the Opposition," Shehbaz said.

"On one hand, prisoners are being released and on the other hand, those who served the nation are being arrested," Shehbaz said.