ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Friday decided to take up a petition filed by Awami Muslim League (AML) Chairman Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed seeking the disqualification of Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi over alleged corruption in the award of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) import contract.
The petition filed through Advocate Latif Khosa will be heard by a three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar on February 12.
It alleges that Abbasi indulged in massive corruption in the LNG contract awarded in 2015 as the minister for petroleum and natural resources. The counsel further requested court to order National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to initiate investigation against the PM in this regard. The petition states that importing LNG without agreement is illegal, calling into question the integrity of PM Abbasi. It points out that transparency is a must when awarding contracts of public interest.
The petitioner prayed to the top court to declare it as a matter of fundamental rights.