RAWALPINDI, Dec 19: Syed Yousuf Raza Gillani, former speaker of the National Assembly and vice chairman of Pakistan People’s Party, was granted bail by the Lahore High Court Rawalpindi Bench on Thursday and if no other case was filed against him immediately, he would come out of jail.

Syed Yousuf Raza Gillani, who is facing two cases, is behind bars since Feb 10, 2001. He was convicted in one case and the other is still pending in an accountability court.

A division bench of the Lahore High Court, Rawalpindi Bench, granted him bail in both the cases and directed the authorities to release him if no other case was pending against him. He is required to submit two sureties of Rs1 million each.

The prosecution had alleged that the former speaker had misused his official position and besides one official residence in Islamabad, he also kept two rest houses in his personal use. It was further alleged that he misused telephone facility, and used 15 official cars for his personal use.

In the second case which is pending in the accountability court, the prosecution has alleged that he appointed persons from his constituency, Multan, in the National Assembly Secretariat in violation of rules.

The division bench, comprising Justice Moulvi Anwarul Haq and Justice Abdul Shakoor Paracha, after hearing counsel for both the parties, granted him bail.

Advocate Khawaja Haris, counsel for Yousuf Raza Gillani, argued that it was not alleged that his client had received money. He said Gillani had only used one car at one time, and if 15 cars came in his use during his tenure as speaker, it was no offence.

He further said that appointments were made against the vacancies available and all the appointees fulfilled the criterion for such jobs. They all worked against the posts and many were still working.

He said as regards the misuse of telephone facility, the same allegation was levelled against former chairman of Senate, Wasim Sajjad, but no case was filed against him.

Abdul Baseer Qureshi, Deputy Prosecutor-General, and former Prosecutor-General Accountability, Raja Bashir, appeared on behalf of NAB, and opposed the request for bail.