KARACHI: A federal anti-corruption court confirmed the interim pre-arrest bail granted to former Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani in five more cases pertaining to a multi-billion rupee scam carried out in the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP).
Gilani, along with former and serving officials of the TDAP, were nominated in 26 cases for their alleged involvement in the fraudulent approval and disbursement of trade subsidies to several fake companies through fictitious claims. Gilani filed an application through his counsel Farooq H Naek seeking confirmation of his bail in five cases. After hearing arguments from both sides, the court announced its verdict confirming his bail. It has already confirmed his bail in 21 cases. Accompanied by his counsel and PPP supporters, he appeared before the anti-corruption court.
While taking to the media outside the court, the PPP leader said that though he was exempted from appearing before the court, he turned up to show that he respected them. Gilani opined that the country was strong because of the presence of nuclear weapons and the 1973 constitution gifted by the PPP founder and former Prime Minister Zulifqar Ali Bhutto.
The PPP leader targeted political opponents and said those who thought the parliament to be ineffective had returned to it. The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) had registered over two dozen FIRs against Gilani and others. The court had earlier granted him interim pre-arrest bail against a surety bond of Rs100,000 in each case.
