19 September 2004	Sunday	03 Shaban 1425

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RAWALPINDI, Sept 18: An accountability court here on Saturday convicted former National Assembly speaker Yousaf Raza Gillani in a reference pertaining to illegal appointments in the NA secretariat and awarded him 10 years rigorous imprisonment.

Mr Gillani, who was on bail, was arrested from the court's premises after Judge Manzoor Hussain Malik announced the verdict.

The court also imposed a Rs100 million fine on Mr Gillani after finding him guilty of the offence under section 9-a (IV) read with sections 10 and 15 of the National Accountability Ordinance, 1999.

In default of the payment of fine, Mr Gillani would undergo an additional five years rigorous imprisonment, the court observed.

It disqualified Mr Gillani from holding any public office for 10 years and debarred him from getting loan from any financial institution.

The court, however, gave the former speaker and a PPP leader benefit of section 382-B of the Criminal Procedure Code according to which his imprisonment term would be counted from the day he was arrested.

The prosecution was represented by NAB's Deputy Prosecution-General Abdul Basir Qureshi.

According to the reference, the former NA speaker had misused his office and made about 300 appointments in the NA secretariat "by resorting to nepotism" in violation of rules and regulations.

The defence counsel represented by advocate Khwaja Kharis had contended that Mr Gillani had never appointed/deputed any of his relatives or friends to any post in the NA secretariat nor had he violated the Recruitment Rules, 1973.

The defence counsel had also contended that the prosecution had failed to present any evidence against his client. He had pointed out that the power to make appointments in grade 1 to 16 were enjoyed by the NA secretariat secretary and not by the speaker. Therefore, he had asked, how could have the speaker made such appointments?

As for the 144 appointments made against the posts in grade 16 and above, the defence counsel had said that they were made by then chairmen of the 16 standing committees of the National Assembly, and not the speaker.

The counsel had further said that those appointed had no connection with the speaker and fulfilled the required criteria.

GILLANI'S REACTION: Meanwhile, Mr Gillani termed the verdict 'political victimisation' and the one which he was expecting.

Talking to newsmen after his conviction, he said he would move superior courts for "achieving justice very soon".

He said that providing jobs to 'deserving' people was not a crime and if it was "I would commit it again and again".

He claimed that the article of the National Accountability Ordinance, 1999, under which he had been convicted did not even exist at the time when he was the speaker.

He said the government could not subdue the political activities of the Pakistan People's Party by resorting to political victimisation of its leaders and workers.