- Former premier denies allegations of PPP supporting terrorism, terms Zardari’s statement ‘out of a dejected heart’
Islamabad High Court (IHC)’s Justice Noorul Haq Qureshi on Tuesday granted seven-day protective bail to former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani in eight cases of graft, including one involving corruption and financial misappropriation in the Trade and Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP), and directed him to furnish surety bonds of Rs 100,000 in each case.
Accompanied by lawyers and supporters, the former prime minister appeared in IHC to seek pre-arrest bail in eight cases.
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.
Speaking to reporters, Gilani termed the corruption cases as part of a campaign of political victimisation against him, but expressed hope that the courts would dispense justice. Blaming Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), he said that Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) is a part of the government and could not act without government’s orders.
“During my tenure as prime minister, there was no political victimisation or political prisoners. As much as 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 them,” he said.
The former premier said that National Accountability Bureau (NAB) compiled cases against him. He said that PPP respected judiciary and judicial proceedings.
The PPP leader said that he had served five years in jail and that is why he worked against political victimisation during his tenure. As far as the Charter of Democracy is concerned, late Benazir and Nawaz Sharif signed the agreement and PPP upholds the charter to date, he added.
Moreover, Gilani said that PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari’s statement was “out of a dejected heart”. He said that there could not be two different laws in one country. He said that PPP denounces corruption and the party is in favour of operation in Karachi. However, he added that PPP would not tolerate such serious allegations. He said that he got to know about another case against him when he was in the IHC.
