Karachi: An anti-corruption court on Thursday ordered to arrest former prime minister of Pakistan Yousuf Raza Gilani and former minister Ameen Faheem to be produced in the court on September 10 in connection with a dozen graft and corruption cases.
The anti-corruption court presided over by judge Mohammad Azeem issued the non-bailable warrants of Gilani and Faheem after the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) submitted 12 more cases of graft and corruption against the duo in addition to 12 other pending cases in the court.
The FIA in its notice declared both of them as absconders along with many other accomplices.
The former prime minister and the commerce minister had got their bails approved in 12 other cases of corruption.
Both the senior politicians were charged by the FIA of carrying massive corruption in the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP), when Faheem was the commerce minister with the abatement of Gilani when he was the prime minister.
The FIA probe suggested that many fake companies were set up and those paper-companies were given billions of rupees subsidies under a government scheme, launched to boost the country’s foreign trade.
Faheem, a veteran politician and senior leader of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), has been bedridden in London fighting cancer.
Gilani was removed by the Supreme Court in 2013 for flouting apex court orders to pursue corruption case against former president Asif Ali Zardari.
Meanwhile, an anti-terrorism court remanded Dr Asim Hussain, the former petroleum minister, into 90-day paramilitary Rangers custody.
Hussain, another close aide to Zardari, was detained on Wednesday by the intelligence agencies yesterday morning he was formally handed over to the Rangers. The law enforcement agency yesterday brought him into the ATC seeking his remand for further interrogation.
The former minister is facing charges of financing terrorists besides involving in illegal sale of plot of land. The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had issued notices to Hussain sometime back to appear at NAB offices to record his statement.
However, Hussain flew off the country and came back only a few days ago. Sources said he would also be grilled in connection with other corruption charges during his tenure as minister petroleum.
Reacting to the frequent arrests of PPP politicians and affiliates, Khurshid Shah, leader of the opposition in the National Assembly, warned Islamabad of grave consequences against victimisation of the party.
He also warned the ruling party that if Zardari was arrested it would be the ‘beginning of a war.’
Shah said Pakistan Muslim League (PML) should understand that political parties had been their key supporters.
