Ex-PM Gilani gets seven-day bail in TDAP, other corruption cases

By
AFP
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Ex-PM Gilani gets seven-day bail in TDAP, other corruption cases
ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court on Tuesday granted seven-day protective bail to former Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani in eight cases of graft, including one into alleged corruption and financial misappropriation in the Trade and Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP).

The court ordered Gilani to submit bail bonds worth Rs100,000 for each of the eight cases, and to appear before the trial courts within one week.

Gilani’s lawyer Farooq H Naek told reporters outside the IHC that a new case and charge-sheet have also been filed against his client for which they will have to appeal the court again for bail.

Last week, an anti-corruption court issued arrest warrants for Gilani and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Makhdoom Amin Faheem for their alleged involvement in the multi-billion-rupee TDAP corruption scandal and other graft cases.

The senior PPP leaders are accused of being involved in approving and disbursing fraudulent trade subsidies of millions of rupees to several fake companies through fictitious claims and backdated cheques.

Speaking to reporters, Gilani termed the corruption cases as part of a campaign of political victimization against him, but expressed the hope that the courts would dispense justice.

Blaming the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), he said that FIA is a part of the government and cannot act without the government's orders.

"During my tenure as prime minister, there was no political victimization or political prisoners. 85 percent of the Charter of Democracy was implemented during my time. But if the PML-N still wishes to implement the remaining parts of the CoD, we will support," he said.