- The judge says no charges have been tested against Gilani.
- The president of the Senate, Gilani, says he is not afraid of jail.
- 40 Other defendants also acquitted by the Court.
Karachi: The Federal Anti -Corruption Court has acquitted the president of the Senate Yousaf Raza Gilani in three cases related to the Commercial Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) corruption scandal.
The hearing took place in the Federal Court of Anti -Corruption in Karachi, where Gilani appeared before the judge in person.
During the process, the judge went to Gilani, saying that a verdict had been reached in three cases against him. Gilani responded affirmatively, recognizing the decision.
At one point, the court asked Gilani what prison he would prefer: Karachi, fine or Islamabad. In response, the president of the Senate said he was not afraid of jail, and added: “The prison is nothing new to us. If you wish, you can even sentence me to death.” His comments caused a smile of the president.
The court also asked why he did not prefer house arrest, to which Gilani replied that his ancestral home was in fine, his family resided in Lahore and his Senate office was in Islamabad.
When the judge said that the trial was being held in Karachi, Gilani commented: “Then people will say that my party has a government in Sindh.”
When announcing the verdict, the court declared that no charges had been tested against Gilani, giving him an honorable acquittal.
The judge also pointed out that those who had testified against him now faced positions themselves.
After the completion of the trial in three cases, the Court acquitted Gilani and 40 other people accused of the case of TDAP corruption.
Former Prime Minister Gilani, together with several senior TDAP officials and others, faced charges for his supposed role in the sanction and distribution of fraudulent commercial subsidies.
The case involved the disbursement of billions of rupees to false companies through counterfeit claims and checks with retrodomés during the mandate of the Government of the Popular Party of Pakistan (PPP).
