Cases against myself, other PPP leaders discrimination, character assassination: Gilani
70
ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani was granted protective bail by Islamabad High Court (IHC) Justice Noorul Haq Qureshi on Wednesday in a ninth case registered against him by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) with regards to a multi-billion rupee scam involving the Trade and Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP).
The petition for bail in the ninth case was filed by Gilani's counsel yesterday, but was registered too late in the day for any conclusion to be reached on the matter.
Speaking to the press, Gilani said he suspected there were five or six more cases against him in the pipeline. He alleged that the FIA had visited his Multan residence and harassed his employees. He called the incident "discrimination" and "character assassination of a political party".
 |
| PPP's former governor Punjab Sardar Latif Khosa addressing mediapersons on Wednesday. — DawnNews screengrab |
PPP Secretary General Sardar Latif Khosa said the former prime minister's lawyer Farooq H. Naek tried to get protective bail for Gilani so he wasn't arrested before he could be presented in court.
He added that there shouldn't be any discrimination against the PPP stalwart, saying that the first names on a list presented by the National Accountability Bureau in court were those of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar.
Khosa alleged that Nawaz Sharif had allotted 2,600 two-kanal plots in one day in Lahore's Johar Town area.
Counsel for the accused Farooq H. Naek said the cases against the former prime minister alleged that Gilani's deputy secretary had taken a Rs50 lakh bribe, and a confession was forcefully extracted from him under torture. "You cannot run the government and FIA this way," he said, adding, "Don't register false cases... and take unfair advantage of your position". He also appealed to the heads of the FIA to "stop registering false cases".
The FIA had registered 21 First Information Reports (FIRs) in the case. Gilani, according to one of his lawyers Raja Aleem Abbasi, has obtained bail in 12 of the cases.
On Thursday, a single-member bench, comprising Justice Noorul Haq Qureshi, of the IHC granted protective bail to Gilani in eight other cases. However, during the hearing of his petition, Farooq Naek, senior counsel for the former prime minister, informed the court that there was another FIR pending against his client. He requested the court to grant protective bail to Gilani in that FIR as well.
Justice Qureshi, however, said the accused needed to file a separate petition seeking protective bail in the remaining FIR. Subsequently, Gilani through his counsel filed another petition which was taken up by the court today.
A federal anti-corruption court last week issued non-bailable warrants for the arrest of Yousuf Raza Gilani, Makhdoom Amin Fahim and others.
During the course of hearing, advocate Naek told the court that Gilani was innocent as his name was not mentioned in the initial FIRs but was included in the final challan.
He said the former prime minister wanted to appear before the federal court in Karachi but he apprehended that the FIA may pressure him to make a statement against his own party colleagues.
Justice Qureshi directed Mr Gilani to submit Rs100,000 surety bonds in each case. Since there were eight FIRs, the former prime minister has to furnish Rs800,000 bonds.
The judge made it clear that the protective bail would expire after one week in case Gilani would not appear before the trial court.
Also read: Arrest warrants issued for senior PPP leaders Gilani, Amin Fahim
Read more
On DawnNews
Comments (70) Closed
Sep 02, 2015 03:46pm
Jilani is seeking time, to run away from pakistan
Recommend
0
Sep 02, 2015 03:51pm
Your character has already assassinated we don’t need this kind of characters. Stealing neckless and argue that was the gift for my wife.
Recommend
0
Sep 02, 2015 03:52pm
Ha. Character Assassination. I mean really. Why is Zardari referred to as Mr.10% then?
Recommend
0
Sep 02, 2015 03:55pm
How come such a high profile criminals get bails?
Recommend
0
Sep 02, 2015 03:56pm
It's time that the courts stop giving these criminal bail and decide their fate once & for all. some of these cases have been hanging on for decades. Does an ordinary member get such priviledges? No. They are the ones who are put on bail or hanged without proper investigations. How many policitians have so far been convicted for their crimes. None! Does it mean that pakistan is free of corrupt politicians? The world laughs at pakistani judicial system.
Recommend
0
Sep 02, 2015 04:05pm
Anyone who has half a brain knows that gilani is corrupt he should be prosecuted and jailed for the rest of his life.
Recommend
0
Sep 02, 2015 04:06pm
"He called the incident "discrimination" and "character assassination of a political party" point to be noted non of the PPP leader or even Yousuf Raza Gillani ever said that they had not looted the public money they simply say that other too looted the public money therefore they should also be given impunity of any legal action
Recommend
0
Sep 02, 2015 04:07pm
Character assassination...do they have character at all
Recommend
0
Sep 02, 2015 04:07pm
There cannot be character assassination for character less people. It is almost time for you and your bosses to return the looted wealth of Pakistan.
Recommend
0
Sep 02, 2015 04:07pm
Agree that others should also be targetted but You people have discriminated yourselves by doing unmatched corruption
Recommend
0
Sep 02, 2015 04:08pm
You need to have a character before you claim that someone is assassinating it!!!!
Recommend
0
Sep 02, 2015 04:14pm
Freeze his assets , leave him pennyless
Recommend
0
Sep 02, 2015 04:15pm
Mr.Gillani, there has to be a character before its assassination is carried out. Sadly, none is visible in your case.
Recommend
0
Sep 02, 2015 04:18pm
There is corruption in Pakistan but nobody is found corrupt. Our current judicial system cannot handle such cases, they should be referred to military courts.
Recommend
0
Sep 02, 2015 04:25pm
@Observer
Justice here is innocent.
Recommend
0
Sep 02, 2015 04:31pm
Mr. Gilani, worry about your accountability and others turn will come too. We share your concern why other thieves are not in the dock with you.
Recommend
0
Sep 02, 2015 04:34pm
What a joke our country has become.
Where else can suspects be allowed air time to prove their innocence except pakistan
Recommend
0
Sep 02, 2015 04:34pm
NAB should show some guts and ask all Politicians and Government officials to submit the details of their income how come a pauper after joining politics and / or government job become a billionaire in few years ?
Recommend
0
Sep 02, 2015 04:35pm
Their and all other high profile cases should be given to military courts and be decided at most in six months. Corrupts from all leading parties be made example for others. they must not be given any chance to run away
Recommend
0
Sep 02, 2015 04:36pm
Actions speak louder. You used govt funds to buy the necklace. Truely reflective of your integrity.
Recommend
0
Sep 02, 2015 04:36pm
If he runs away we shall hold Government and Judiciary responsible for that...
Recommend
0
Sep 02, 2015 04:38pm
Gilani and like should not be spared. And why Dar is not being arrested for money laundering confessions before the court of law?
Recommend
0
Sep 02, 2015 04:41pm
how you can claim with such authority. You have been the most corrupt and incompetent prime minister we had. You and your team made miserable a common man in Pakistan. Shame on NS government too for protecting him.
Recommend
0
Sep 02, 2015 04:44pm
He should better not use word "Discrimination". It is very dangerous word. Even US Courts take it very seriously and punish severely to the claimants.
Recommend
0
Sep 02, 2015 04:50pm
I don't thin so Mr. Gilani. You should be in jail soon
Recommend
0
Sep 02, 2015 04:52pm
Character assassination of looters?
Recommend
0
Sep 02, 2015 04:52pm
Do you have any character ?. You whole hardheartedly supported the President (Zardari) and we now know your character
Recommend
0
Sep 02, 2015 04:55pm
so this whole judiciary and fir are a drama then!
justice not given and denied.
Recommend
0
Sep 02, 2015 05:05pm
Character Assassination? You, Mr. Gilani, kept a necklace meant for the flood affected people for yourself. After the inquiry you came forward and said that you indeed had the necklace. If you had the audacity to keep a PKR 200,000 necklace (as claimed by you), it is anybody's wild guess what additional things you would have kept all by yourself. You Sir, should be buried with all the money that you have accumulated, since we donot trust the courts of this country to give you a fair trial.
Recommend
0
Sep 02, 2015 05:06pm
Mr Gilani do you have a "character" to be assasinated
Recommend
0
Sep 02, 2015 05:19pm
@Justice
Totally agree.
Recommend
0
Sep 02, 2015 05:19pm
What about the necklace that you stole. It was given as charity by the wife of the Turkish leader, but you decided to steal it. Was that also a false fabrication???
Recommend
0
Sep 02, 2015 05:34pm
This suited booted garbage .. Asif Zardari is responsible.
Recommend
0
Sep 02, 2015 05:39pm
I request dawn to send the comments to mr gillani so that he may read what ppl have to say abt him..majority thinks that he doenst have a character. This is the reality..how far wil you to protect the wealth you amssed through illegal means
Recommend
0
Sep 02, 2015 05:40pm
You did the character assessination of the whole nation when u were in power, when your wife lost 90,000 british pounds in casino. We dont know who u are, go to jail!
Recommend
0
Sep 02, 2015 05:47pm
As usual our leaders start lying and giving statements like ,'character assissination and discrimination',everybody knows what they are and what they do.
In our system ,they will run away scot free once again.
Recommend
0
Sep 02, 2015 05:52pm
i wonder how anyone could have conspired against our honorable PM into assuming custody of the donated Turkish necklace. Discrimination, character assassination, was it?
Recommend
0
Sep 02, 2015 05:57pm
Don't worry Gillani,you will be saved by other corrupt ruling party's premier.
This is collusion between you.We all know.
Corruption in Pakistan is because of people like you.
Everybody catches corruption in Pakistan but not corrupts because they are influential and themselves in their resources and party positions.
Recommend
0
Sep 02, 2015 06:17pm
Mr Gilani are you talking about character assassination ? these words doesn't sounds good in your case, you are the one who gifted a donated necklace to your wife, that neck was meant to be a donation for the poor people, do you even have character to assassinate. That is cheapest act a person can do
Recommend
0
Sep 02, 2015 06:24pm
@Qamar - This must be the latest re-grouping strategy?? It's already been tried....come up with something else. Thank you.
Recommend
0
Sep 02, 2015 06:25pm
Character???
Recommend
0
Sep 02, 2015 06:27pm
Mr Gilani,you are being punished for what you did, think of the donated necklace and then think about character, you don't even have character to assasinate.
Recommend
0
Sep 02, 2015 06:35pm
This is a problem of our country, when big fishes are caught they get permit to run away.
They should not run away through these methods.
Pak Army zindabad..................
Recommend
0
Sep 02, 2015 06:41pm
Musical chairs, music stop standing Zardari, Altaf, Gilani sitting down for now Nawazah and The General next round guess who will not have a chair... Uuu La La
Recommend
0
Sep 02, 2015 06:45pm
Wonder if his name is on exit control yet? What are the charges against him, why dont he go to court any prove his innocence? If he is guilty, than talking about political victimization, like many others is not go to help.
Recommend
0
Sep 02, 2015 06:54pm
all criminals start noisy speeches and claim they are innocent, all should be put behind bars and all property confiscated
Recommend
0
Sep 02, 2015 07:25pm
He belongs to jail cell rather than on a podium defending his character that he does not have.
Recommend
0
Sep 02, 2015 07:26pm
Mr. Gilani if you had any character you would not have done what you are being indicted for, so please don't claim character assassination, be a man and face the charges.
Recommend
0
Sep 02, 2015 07:35pm
someone please shut these criminals.
Recommend
0
Sep 02, 2015 07:35pm
Its proved that these people are above law in Pakistan.
Recommend
0
Sep 02, 2015 07:36pm
The guy who couldn't afford a designer suit before PPP Government is defending the looters and is being defended by equally corrupt lawyer. He should tell the nation from where did he get all the wealth as it wasn't god given
Recommend
0
Sep 02, 2015 07:40pm
Most political parties are here to loot the nation under the guise of Democracy. Because of them we lost half of the country, could not settle Kashmir issue,have been enduring terrorism for 40 years,have divided the people religiously and ethnically and have become a beggar to IMF.
Finally when a brave man like Gen Raheel comes to help our country out of misery you all start cringing and crying and quoting constitution and legalities.
It's still time to do something for your constituents and not only for yourselves.
Recommend
0
Sep 02, 2015 07:43pm
Mr. Former PM, why did you steal the necklace from the poor flood victims of Pakistan?
Recommend
0
Sep 02, 2015 07:51pm
Did you return the NECKLACE yet. And I am suppose to believe you !!!!
Recommend
0
Sep 02, 2015 08:06pm
It's high time we make drastic changes to stop granting bails to such known criminals. Why the people are treated differently. Can an ordinary citizen get these concessions?
Don't make a mockery of the justice system.
Recommend
0
Sep 02, 2015 08:12pm
Mr. Ex not a single comment is in your favor.
Recommend
0
Sep 02, 2015 08:14pm
Why would anyone be interested in character assassination of former PM Gilani? He is being hauled up because of his massive corruption. He even stole the gold necklace donated by Turkish First Lady for flood victims. This was disgusting and shameful for the nation. The people of Pakistan demand he should be hung just like other criminals.
Recommend
0
Sep 02, 2015 08:19pm
They are shameless people!
Recommend
0
Sep 02, 2015 08:21pm
Indeed your stance if right Gilani. We voted you, trusted you and bore brunt of your PM. your regime was a list of endless scams, bribe, corruption and nepotism. what kind of life you live with your other family members, you made Pakistan nose dive during Haqqani scandal and let him off the hook as PM (he is now in USA and playing all dirty tricks against us ). You were trusted as PM for writing a letter to Swiss banks and you stubbornly went against courts, without clarification, and lost your premiership. You are the one singled out as biggest umbrella for medicine scam and allotted surplus quota to your favorites, sheer nepotism. what on earth will make you ONCE to say ok lets proceed on with courts and face it like a man unlike Zardari. how much money you need to live and eat bread ?. for God sake don't you are facing character assassination.. you character was sold once you were elected as MNA first time... now your character belongs to your voters. so face it.
Recommend
0
Sep 02, 2015 08:25pm
Dear Jilani Sahab .... your time is over , it was your "bholapun" or cleverness didnt touch Nawaz party when you were in government just to secure yourself. They are more clever then you. They will clear every stone in their way in 5 years term :)
Anyways good for Pakistan, some work will be done by N-league then eventually Army league will clear the remaining mess.
Recommend
0
Sep 02, 2015 09:21pm
Do you feel anything within you on reading what the people think of you?
Recommend
0
Sep 02, 2015 09:21pm
I hope they have put all politicians on ECL so that they can't run away from the country.
Gilani you are talking about your character assassination, meanwhile I was thinking about your assassination along with the rest of your corrupt buddies. General Raheel should actually pull Kamal Atta Turk on you guys. Take boat put you in it all the way in the middle of Indian Ocean and put a hole in it. Then blame me if the nation either cries or stop you (remember your interview to BBC).
Recommend
0
Sep 03, 2015 01:29am
Ignorance is the desire to believe what we want to be true regardless of facts. Men like this believe they can do no wrong, and that they are doing everything for the country.
Recommend
0
Sep 03, 2015 01:32am
@Observer .... Mister Gulani's arrogance is over the top.
Recommend
0
Sep 03, 2015 02:57am
Sound familiar? Sounds like Altaf Hussain. Pakistan is in a war. These people need to get out of the country's way.
Recommend
0
Sep 03, 2015 06:02am
What is character? Supreme character is not to commit a crime; lesser is to accept your mistake, oppologize and present yourself for justice; worst is to do a crime and pose as you are innocent. Can our leaders and politicians explain what do they mean of character?
Recommend
0
Sep 03, 2015 06:13am
Anyone in this entire world who claims to have some character, will die of shame when read these comments about himself.
Recommend
0
Sep 03, 2015 06:21am
I wonder how come such people belonging to noble ancestors are so insensitive to corruption and crimes? Have they lost their sense of write and wrong? What are they up to? Has the money became so important in life that we have lost our value system, shame and ghairat?
Recommend
0
Sep 03, 2015 06:28am
" If wealth is lost, nothing is lost; if health is lost, something is lost; if character is lost, everything is lost". Alas! our people at the helm of affairs could understand the meaning of this old adage.
Recommend
0
Sep 03, 2015 10:16am
We need to stop respecting looters and plunderers.
Recommend
0
