Khaqan Abbasi faces NAB inquiry over LNG contract
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ISLAMABAD: Following the removal of its chief Nawaz Sharif as prime minister, another problem has arisen for the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) as the interim premier-in-waiting, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, is also facing a Rs220 billion corruption inquiry being carried out by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).
Mr Abbasi, the former minister for petroleum and natural resources, is a principal accused in a NAB case registered in 2015 regarding award of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) import contract.
Other suspects include former petroleum secretary Abid Saeed, Inter State Gas Systems (ISGS) managing director Mobin Saulut, private firm Engro’s chief executive officer Emranul Haq and the Sui Southern Gas Company’s (SSGC) ex-MD Zuhair Ahmed Siddiqui.
After the removal of Mr Sharif by the Supreme Court in the Panama Papers case, the PML-N has nominated Mr Abbasi as its candidate for the prime minister’s post for an interim period before Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif replaces him for the remaining 10 months of the government’s term. The election of the new prime minister will be held on Tuesday and Mr Abbasi is set to be elected in view of his party’s comprehensive majority in the National Assembly.
According to NAB documents, the contract for the LNG import and distribution was awarded to the Elengy Terminal, a subsidiary of Engro, in 2013 in violation of the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) rules and relevant laws.
The bureau registered the case on July 29, 2015 but it is still in the inquiry stage, contrary to NAB Chairman Qamar Zaman Chaudhry’s claim that he has introduced a new strategy under which the process of complaint verification, inquiry, investigation and filing of reference took 10 months.
It appears that like several cases of the Sharif family, this one has also been dumped by NAB.
The case was registered on the complaint of Shahid Sattar, an energy expert and former member of the Planning Commission and the SSGC board of directors, along with others, accusing Mr Abbasi of misusing his authority and causing a potential $2bn loss to the national exchequer in 15 years.
The NAB documents said that it had been recommended that the names of all accused in the case, including Mr Abbasi, should be placed on the Exit Control List (ECL) and the process was under process.
Talking to reporters after meeting Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Sunday, Mr Abbasi said he was not afraid of any reference, adding that those levelling allegations against him should search their own souls and be ashamed of their deeds.
“Not only one case but get registered 10 references against me,” he said in reply to a question about Awami Muslim League chief Sheikh Rashid Ahmed’s decision to approach the Supreme Court against him regarding the NAB proceedings.
Published in Dawn, July 31st, 2017
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Comments (97) Closed
Jul 31, 2017 08:02am
Did the PML-N not know the pending case against Mr. Khaqan Abbasi before NAB? What is going on here in Pakistan? Can't we find an honest candidate for the premiership? Please get another candidate for Interim Premier.
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Jul 31, 2017 08:13am
This would never have happened without Tehreek e Insaaf.
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Jul 31, 2017 08:17am
Another example which confirms that PML-N is a Corruption Mafia. May God have mercy on Pakistan.
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Jul 31, 2017 08:22am
It is just the start, a lot will come out in the coming days
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Jul 31, 2017 08:26am
It's amazing that ruling party don't even have one person who is clean and be the prime minister. I request to Pakistani people please think twice before vote next time.
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Jul 31, 2017 08:26am
@Sab se pehle pakistan Right bhai I do think you and I think alike!
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Jul 31, 2017 08:27am
All credit goes to PTI.
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Jul 31, 2017 08:28am
AH God plz save us from these!
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Jul 31, 2017 08:31am
The PM of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan should be spotless person with not even a suggestion of corruption against him/her. In west if there is any slight doubt about the character of the candidate for PM position in regards to corruption, he is booted right out.
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Jul 31, 2017 08:35am
I had earlier commented that LNG and OIL TERMINAL are the two impediments in his career. It has further revealed that
Chairman NAB is a co-culprit in all the govt scams. SC has the best chance of removing him and giving the Name of Gen Shahid Aziz who had resigned due to the procedure, PLEA BARGAIN.
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Jul 31, 2017 08:45am
The story will be balanceed and more credible if it included Khaqan Abbasi's version.
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Jul 31, 2017 08:47am
Party without any ideology. Solely surviving on corruption and fear mongering.
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Jul 31, 2017 08:52am
I penned it yesterday (30th) but ignored. Nawaz is not the only and the last corrupt person in my beloved Pakistan but they are yet to be exposed in due course of time and therefore all those who are addressing press conferences appearing in talk shows and meeting their party workers and supporters must not forget that today if they are attacking others then tomorrow they could be attacked alike and then they will curse self so I advise that keep shut or one’s hands must not be dirty and instead be clean but not as clean as Nawaz Sharif claimed before facing JIT and even now when he stands dethroned. I am done. Iqbal Hadi Zaidi / zaidi.formerdiplomat@hotmail.com
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Jul 31, 2017 09:05am
The President,the Speaker, the ECP have moral duty to first ascertain the credibility of accused candidate,before allowing to contest.
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Jul 31, 2017 09:22am
Any PM choice is better than Sheikh Rasheed. Why did PTI nominate Sheikh Rasheed for PM when all the PTI supporters want Imram Khan as a PM ?
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Jul 31, 2017 09:26am
Problem with pmln is that they don't have any honest person in their party but Pakistan pays the price
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Jul 31, 2017 09:26am
@Asif A Shah Probably no honest man can be found in current system.
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Jul 31, 2017 09:27am
I think the entire political arena is corrupt. NAB must grow some balls to bring all the corrupt politicians to face charges in the Court of law.
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Jul 31, 2017 09:30am
@Ahamad
Dont ask God to save us ask those people of Punjab to wake up and smell the coffee.
I can guarantee you that after this , we will put back PML -N k in power. People are salves to the Sharif family and their next generation.
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Jul 31, 2017 09:34am
@Asif A Shah Everyone is tainted with corruption head to feet.
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Jul 31, 2017 09:39am
Seems that every member of PLM-N has something to hide...yet they stand in front of the world without shame and boast that they are untouchable by the authorities...well that's what NS thought as well and look what happened to him.
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Jul 31, 2017 09:41am
PML-N should be ashamed
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Jul 31, 2017 09:43am
@Sab se pehle pakistan .
AMEEN summa AMEEN
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Jul 31, 2017 09:45am
if you do referendum 98% Pakistanis will reject Khaqan Abbasi. only Nawaz like him.
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Jul 31, 2017 09:48am
So far we were listening to the slogan "Whole family" now think it is going to be " the Whole party is corrupt".
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Jul 31, 2017 09:49am
Pakistan comes first . No matter who the prime minister you cannot change the perspective of ruling party
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Jul 31, 2017 09:52am
They are only worried, how to keep power in a certain family, not bother about the country or the party.
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Jul 31, 2017 09:59am
is there any one in pakistani politics who is clean of corruption???
replace one looter with another ??
he got active cases with NAB, so how can they nominate him??
and why NS and others who are convicted by SC is still at large and enjoying free life?? once proven guilty should be arrested straight away.
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Jul 31, 2017 10:01am
A case pending for 2 years while NAB was in deep sleep. They should be bound to either dismiss the case or submit in court in 3 months.
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Jul 31, 2017 10:03am
Yeah...Like we had been hearing Panama Panama Panama for last 2 years and NS was disqualified on 'iqama'. Civvies under siege. Game of thrones continue.
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Jul 31, 2017 10:06am
Cpec is the biggest scam. Just wait
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Jul 31, 2017 10:07am
Frivolous case, no basis. He's alleging that we are buying LNG too expensive and Engro Elengy got a great deal. The latter is correct. The former isn't. If you think you can get cheaper LNG to Pakistan try it. If you think you can set up a cheaper LNG terminal, you're probably 100% correct.
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Jul 31, 2017 10:20am
@osman You wrote "This would never have happened without Tehreek e Insaaf." No . the fact is, This would never have happened without The 3rd Umpire.
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Jul 31, 2017 10:20am
Don't worry Mr. Abbasi, 45 days will fly by very quickly. Enjoy your stay in the PM House.
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Jul 31, 2017 10:30am
will the election commission take notice of this and throw Abbasi nomination out? can NAB send a note to election commission on this?
No - we are destined to be ruled by rulers who knows only corruption
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Jul 31, 2017 10:37am
@Desi_Baba
Don't worry bro. Panama case starting in accountability court in 6 weeks. Better news is that it will conclude in 6 months
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Jul 31, 2017 10:40am
Another Nonsense by PMLN. I they thing the whole PMLN cohort have no white collar politician
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Jul 31, 2017 10:42am
He used his own money to buy gas for Pakistan... he did a national service only the be seen as corrupt.
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Jul 31, 2017 10:44am
can someone also investigate the military establishment? They seem to escape all laws
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Jul 31, 2017 10:45am
See the problem over here is that you have to have a few corruption cases against before being considered a strong candidate for the top job, otherwise you are just like the rest of us and we don't like the rest of us !!!
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Jul 31, 2017 10:50am
An apple doesn't fall from the tree. Nor do the disciples practice anything different than their savior and master. They are all rotten apples from the same basket.
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Jul 31, 2017 10:57am
@Sab se pehle pakistan Another example that someone is after them
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Jul 31, 2017 11:02am
Sweets business is all set to thrive in the coming months.
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Jul 31, 2017 11:04am
@Asif A Shah
Do you believe that honest people need to side with PMLN? Had there been any honest in their party, he would have long ago distanced himself. It is a Mafia with every other person involved in huge corruption
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Jul 31, 2017 11:06am
Either PMLN seems to be not learning any lesson or they don't have any straight guy left for this post.
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Jul 31, 2017 11:08am
People are known by the company they keep. Having being under the tutelage of NS and Ishaq Dar, do we expect this man to be honest and free of any corruption in his past?
Just being a member of PML-N and PPP implies you are damaged or tainted goods.
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Jul 31, 2017 11:10am
I have been following LNG deals in Pakistan through published public news, trade news /journals and some TV talks. What is the specific allegation as violation of the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) rules and relevant laws?
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Jul 31, 2017 11:27am
Although rare but still non tinted person can be found in PMLN. Better to select candidate from the good lot. Khaqan Abbasi or Shahbaz Sharif are both likely to get disqualified in the coming months. Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, is also facing a Rs220 billion corruption inquiry. OMG I wish all the corrupts are fed with currency notes instead of regular food items.
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Jul 31, 2017 11:44am
PML - N give a damn to such cases, because all the investigating agencies are appointed by them. Now it will become difficult to hide cases. Thanks to IK
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Jul 31, 2017 11:46am
Sir honest candidate will get PML N is big trouble. Hence the seat should remain with in the Mafia family.
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Jul 31, 2017 11:57am
SCP gifted the nation a basis for green revolution. Now all eyes on Imran Khan as no leader in Pakistan, even Imran Khan, capable of leading a red revolution. Empowering him for his efforts to convert a shattered society into a just and law abiding one is also a welcome change.
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Jul 31, 2017 11:59am
@Khawar Saleem Aslam For this you have to see rules book and not this a space-starved forum.
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Jul 31, 2017 12:00pm
Its really sad that the leadership of PMLN cant find a single candidate who is free from any corruption allegation c. how can we expect that people like khaqan who have there business intrest would prefer the development of Pakistan over there business. how can we expect that PIA would get better under MR. Khaqan who is the owner of air blue.
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Jul 31, 2017 12:08pm
PMLN is actually a corruption Mafia.
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Jul 31, 2017 12:14pm
@Asif A Shah .... Elections are not too far, perhaps they are fielding such candidates knowing they would be disqualified eventually. This would give PML-N the opportunity to cry in front of public of "victimization" to gather votes in next general elections. And talking about "honest" candidate and that too from PML-N? This is like finding needle in haystack.
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Jul 31, 2017 12:32pm
Lets not let anyone work in any office..... why PTI was waiting for Abbasi to be interim PM too file a case??.
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Jul 31, 2017 12:44pm
Mafia rules over the country. Supreme Court described the true analogy. I wonder how a tainted person aspires of the top position? Is there any institution taking notice of that?
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Jul 31, 2017 01:03pm
Punjab! please give Pakistan a clean man to be PM
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Jul 31, 2017 01:13pm
@A Houston Agreed but I think it will be a closer election this time
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Jul 31, 2017 01:15pm
Are there any clean people in PML-N?
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Jul 31, 2017 01:27pm
I wonder no clean and honest person has left in PML (N)
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Jul 31, 2017 01:40pm
@AHMED Well said
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Jul 31, 2017 01:42pm
It seems that the only honest people in Pakistan are the five judges who disqualified Nawaz Sharif!
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Jul 31, 2017 01:47pm
The problem is not that there are no honest people in the plm n . The priblem is that nawaz wont nominate them because he wants dishonest people who he can control at the helm. This is not a democratic party "Temporary prime minister" what a joke
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Jul 31, 2017 01:49pm
@Shakir Lakhani That's 101% true dude
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Jul 31, 2017 02:09pm
Yet another corrupt and tainted Prime Minister in the making in Islamabad. What a silly joke?
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Jul 31, 2017 02:19pm
how come ECP is allowing Abbasi to become interim PM ?. why NAB is not advising ECP about Abbasi cases on official level and how SC is watching this practice of PMLN leadership who is already due in court for criminal cases, where people like NS, Saad, Talal, Abid Sher's unanswered questions will be replied one by one as to why exactly NS was disqualified ( not just for aqama ) but multiple cases of corruption, public money theft, money laundering, forgery, abetting criminals and so on..
PMLN is probably planning to field two wanted and corrupt persons Abbasi and Shahbaz, knowingly both will be disqualified, here NS can achieve two objectives ..
1/ his most feared rivals will be eliminated and disqualified forever, paving way for his son/ daughter to be presented as PM in next elections (though entire family will be either in Jeddah or behind bars in the wake of NAB references )
2/ he will garner public sympathy that our departments / SC not letting us proceed.
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Jul 31, 2017 02:22pm
Also do note this is not the tip of the iceberg. The LNG terminal at Gwadar port was shelved at the behest of KSA with Nawaz Sharif acting on their behalf when Qatar crisis began. Shahid Khakhan Abbasi was the operative who did this termination.
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Jul 31, 2017 02:29pm
They all must held accountable!
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Jul 31, 2017 02:33pm
It is difficult to find a clean man for the PM slot in PML-N ranks. in any case, it is their occupational necessity NOT to put up a clean man for the slot.
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Jul 31, 2017 02:36pm
220 billion is a lot of money that's like 50 top hospitals all over Pakistan or may be 25 hospitals of 4 billioin each ... starting from 2 each in quetta, peshwar,3 each lahore and Karachi, 2 each in interior Sindh and south Punjab, 2 in northern areas of kp and gilgit 1 in ajk 6 in other need areas of thar, south kpk, north Punjab, gawadar,2 in fata
rest of the 120 billion can be spent on hydel pp in kpk and gilgit
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Jul 31, 2017 02:58pm
This isnt politics, what one can say about democracy!! This is a gang of corrupts looting Pakistan from both hand, one making way for another, with each of them looking after another.
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Jul 31, 2017 03:05pm
At least a fresh face for the Premiership, we welcome him even though he has some cases under investigation.
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Jul 31, 2017 03:55pm
He truly is corrupt . I being an industrialist had that lng for my factory but what proceeded openly showed how corrupt he is n the deal
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Jul 31, 2017 03:56pm
Sharifs and their closed ones all are corrupts.
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Jul 31, 2017 04:24pm
@Muhammad We, the people, should always aspire for an honest utopia. However, it is highly unlikely that we are going to get even financially honest representatives in Pakistan in the near future.
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Jul 31, 2017 04:31pm
How can a person become PM, who is accused of serious financial misconducts and facing charges? It can only happen in a corrupt society!
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Jul 31, 2017 05:03pm
I think if all parties start to play this game of accusing and registering cases on each other, their whole focus would shift to only manage their cases rather to play their part as has been assigned to them.
I'm not sure where this whole situation is heading to, what I see is a total chaos in the coming year or so.
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Jul 31, 2017 05:42pm
True, that's why the whole nation trusts IK and stands behind PTI
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Jul 31, 2017 06:39pm
Politicians are generally corrupt if institutions are not strong. Importance should be given to institution to save country and provide services to public and also develop country economically.
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Aug 01, 2017 01:25am
Very good. Now its time to know what was the Qatari LNG deal. People of Pakistan deserve to know the contract details.
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Aug 01, 2017 03:50am
electing a PM is a democratic process, and no one saying anything about the scam that is happening after the departure of NS. This version of democracy is a joke.
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Aug 01, 2017 05:16am
These politicians of pakistan are all stealthy,thrifty nd their apetite for wealth can never be satisfied.all are thieves.
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Aug 01, 2017 07:07am
Apart from crimes and legalities, I want to raise an ethical question: why Khaqan Abbasi is accepting this position knowing that it is only a stop gap arrangement. Why are they not making it regular for 10 remaining months?
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Aug 01, 2017 07:36am
Seems like of PML-N is in wrapped in a circle of corruption
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Aug 01, 2017 08:15am
What kind of system is in Pakistan, that a person whose investigation is undergoing and parliament is electing him PM?
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Aug 01, 2017 09:48am
@abbas The contaminated do not produce the clean !
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Aug 01, 2017 12:41pm
How can he be even considered ???
Does it mean the criteria to be elected is to be as corrupt as possible ?
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Aug 01, 2017 02:14pm
Corruption corruption corruption
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Aug 01, 2017 02:17pm
This is disgraceful, how come a person whose known to be involved with LNG's contract scandal can become a PM of Islamic Republic of Pakistan? This indicates that their are no morale values in our so called democracy!
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Aug 01, 2017 03:15pm
Case is too week to deter Abbasi from contesting PM ship.
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Aug 01, 2017 04:14pm
Change the Election System, there should be direct elections for all public office holders, just like USA.
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Aug 02, 2017 02:27am
It is unfortunate that even most honest people have to face such nonsensical charges. Engro would not bribe anyone. How can the loss be of US$2billion when the total project cost is much than this. The allegation is that the contract should be with a govt company. That would have been a disaster.
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Aug 02, 2017 02:34am
we are sooo happy wish you congrates sir from dawood abbasi,akhter abbasi, ali muhammad abbasi,muhammad anwer abbasi,engr abdul sattar abbasi we are from district sijawal goth abral zilah mirup bathoro
refrence of dr shafqat abbasi president of abbasi brother's
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Aug 02, 2017 03:22am
@Muhammad ha.. are you sure? do you know a very old gizzard name Donald J Trump??
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Aug 02, 2017 04:29am
Our law does not work when anyone who is under investigation can take a high ranking official position.
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Aug 02, 2017 06:46pm
We need to start think rational and stop going after with emotions.
He gave contract to the best local company available, Engro. And not a small outfit of his own family. Engro was probably the only company who could it on time. Otherwise you would have no gas at your home.
Are you gonna jail Asad Umar too?
The people against him may not be all sadiq and amin. Need to see things logically.
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