SC dismisses petition about LNG case

ISLAMABAD, Feb 12 (APP):The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a petition, filed by Awami Muslim League (AML)
chief Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, seeking disqualification of Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi
under Articles 62 and 63 of the Constitution by declaring liquefied natural gas (LNG) contracts
illegal and unlawful.
A three-member bench of the apex court, headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar,
took up the petition filed by Sheikh Rashid through senior lawyer Barrister Sardar Latif
Khosa.
The bench observed that the matter does not fall under Article 184 (3) of the
Constitution.
The bench ruled that the case can be taken to the National Accountability Bureau
(NAB).
Justice Ijazul Ahsan remarked NAB can summon the respondents if it deems
appropriate.
At the outset of the hearing, Latif Khosa claimed that the government was
abusing its powers and committing violations of court orders.
After hearing Khosa’s arguments, the court rejected the application with the
observation that the petitioner was not an aggrieved party in the case, and
directed him to approach NAB in light of previous court verdicts, with his
complaint.
During the hearing, the chief justice remarked that the court don’t want to
hear cases of political nature. The NAB of today is independent enough to tackle
such issues, he added.
He observed that if the court decides to take up the case, it would restart the
flow of political cases to SC.
He observed that case of political nature causes embarrassment even on
international level.