The Federal Anti-Corruption Court in Karachi has acquitted Senate Chairman Yousaf Raza Gilani in three cases related to the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) corruption scandal.
During the hearing, Gilani appeared before the court in person. The judge informed him that a verdict had been reached in three cases against him, to which he acknowledged the decision, Express News reported on Friday.
The court asked Gilani which prison he would prefer — Karachi, Multan, or Islamabad. Gilani responded that he had no fear of jail. “Prison is nothing new for us. If you wish, you may even sentence me to death,” said Gilani.
The court further noted that those who had testified against Gilani were now facing legal charges themselves.
Along with Gilani, 40 other individuals were acquitted in the TDAP corruption case. Despite this acquittal, Gilani still faces 23 other cases related to the TDAP corruption scandal.
Former prime minister Gilani, along with senior TDAP officials and others, had been accused of approving and disbursing these subsidies.
The case involved allegations of misappropriation of trade subsidies, where billions of rupees were reportedly distributed to fraudulent companies through falsified claims and backdated cheques during the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) government.
