Karachi (Web Desk): The Federal Anti-Corruption Court in Karachi acquitted Senate Chairman Yousaf Raza Gilani in three cases in connection with the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) corruption scandal
According to details, Yousaf Raza Gilani appeared before the court in person.
During the proceedings, the judge confirmed that a decision had been made in the three cases against Gilani, to which the acknowledged the verdict.
At one point, the court jokingly asked Gilani where he would prefer to be imprisoned — in Karachi, Multan, or Islamabad.
Gilani, displaying his usual composure, responded that he had no fear of incarceration and remarked, "Prison is nothing new for us. If you wish, you may even sentence me to death."
His comment elicited a smile from the judge. When questioned about why he didn't opt for house arrest, Gilani pointed out that his ancestral home was in Multan, his family resided in Lahore, and his Senate office was in Islamabad.
To this, the judge noted that the trial was being held in Karachi, to which Gilani humorously responded, "Then people will say my party has a government in Sindh."
In its ruling, the court declared that no evidence had been presented to prove the allegations against Gilani, ultimately granting him an honorable acquittal.
The judge further remarked that those who had given testimony against him were now facing legal troubles of their own.
With the conclusion of the trial, Gilani was acquitted alongside 40 others involved in the TDAP corruption case.
Gilani, along with senior officials from TDAP and other individuals, had been charged over their alleged involvement in authorizing and distributing fraudulent trade subsidies.
The case centered on the illegal disbursement of vast sums of money to fictitious companies through false claims and backdated checks during the time of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) government.
