SC maintains stay order in LNG contract scam

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ISLAMABAD: The SupremeCourt on Monday maintained stay order in the Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) contract scam awarding further time to the counsels to file their replies in the matter.

During the hearing of the case, a three-member bench of the apex court headed by ChiefJustice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry issued these instructions while noting that despite of the stay order by the court, the matter was still continuing and no action was taken.

Anwar Mansoor Khan, counsel for the Sui Southern Gas Company requested the court to let the company complete its process ofbidding. However, he assured the court that they would not take any decision until and unless a verdict by the court was passed.

The bench was informed that the Sui Southern Gas Company held as many as ten board meetings in a short span of 8 weeks.

Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed questioned what was the emergency forholding two board's meetings within 24 hours time?

Upon which, the counsel for SSGC replied that there was no urgency andthe board was not going under any pressure and meetings were a routine matter.

He further stated that if any Director summoned a board's meeting forthat he had to go through certain prescribed procedure.

Salman Akram Raja, counsel for the federation appeared before thecourt and informed that the documents submitted before the bench contained some vague points and he needed some time to further explain those things and re-file the documents.

The bench while giving further time to Salman Akram Raja adjourned hearing for two weeks while maintaining the stay order on awarding the contract.

End.