KARACHI: An anti-corruption court allowed on Thursday an application of former prime minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani seeking exemption from personal appearance in a dozen of cases pertaining to a multi-billion-rupee trade subsidy scam.

On a previous hearing, the former prime minister and former commerce minister Makhdoom Amin Fahim had moved applications for exemption from personal appearance in court by citing their political engagements as reason.

Earlier, the court had reserved the orders on applications of both the central leaders of the Pakistan People Party as well as on the interim pre-arrest bail application of Amin Fahim after hearing arguments from both sides.

When the cases came up for hearing before judge of the special federal anti-corruption court-I Mohammad Azeem on Thursday, the former premier appeared before the court while the former commerce minister did not turn up and sent an application through his lawyer to condone of his absence.

The court allowed the application of Yousuf Raza Gilani and deferred its orders on both applications of Amin Fahim and asked his counsel to ensure the presence of ex-minister on next hearing.

The cases were adjourned till Jan 22 for indictment of the suspects as well as pronouncement of orders on both pleas.

The PPP leaders with some former and serving senior officials of the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) and private persons have been charge sheeted by the Federal Investigation Agency in 12 cases of fraudulent trade subsidies of billion of rupees to several fake companies.

Around 60 more cases pertaining to the trade subsidy scam against the former chairman, former chief executive and other senior officials of the TDAP and private accused were also pending before the court.

Rangers DG issued notice

A sessions court reissued on Thursday a show-cause notice to the director-general of Pakistan Rangers, Sindh for not filing comments on an application seeking registration of a case against personnel of the paramilitary force.

On the previous hearing, the court had issued a show-cause notice to the DG of Rangers since he had not submitted comments despite a court order on an application moved by a woman under Section 22-A of the criminal procedure code.

The additional district and sessions judge (south), Sohail Jabbar Malik, repeated the show-cause notice to the Rangers DG for Jan 15 for not submitting a reply to an earlier show-cause notice and ignoring a court order on submission of comments. The court also sought comments from the relevant station house officer.

Rehana Ihtisham through her lawyer moved the application and submitted that she received a number of threatening phone calls and contended that these calls were made from an office of Rangers.

The applicant further said that she approached the Defence police station with an application for registration of a case, but the police did not entertain her plea and asked the court to direct

the SHO to book the responsible personnel.

Published in Dawn, December 19th, 2014