TDAP scandal: Charge-sheets in seven more cases submitted

KARACHI: The Federal Anti-Corruption Court (FACC) on Wednesday issued non-bailable warrants of arrest against a former premier and PPP leader Yousuf Raza Gilani and others while accepting fresh charge-sheets in seven cases pertaining to the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) corruption scam.

Yousuf Raza Gilani and nine other accused were declared absconders by the court that ordered their arrest and production on May 19 when the FACC, headed by Muhammad Azeem, will conduct its next hearing in 31 cases.

The FIA officials concerned submitted charge-sheets in seven cases. The officials had earlier submitted charge-sheets in 23 cases.Yousuf Raza Gilani was on interim bail, and the court took notice of his absence and issued warrants of arrest against him and nine others.

The court also issued non-bailable arrest warrants against Mehar Haroon Rasheed and Mian Muhammad Tariq.The court noted that due to the absence of some of the accused, it was not possible to provide photocopies of the statements of witnesses to all the accused.

Abdul Kareem Daudpota, Adnan Rizwani, Younus Rizwani, Mirza Kareem Baig and some other accused facing this mega-corruption case were present in the court.According to the prosecution, former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, former TDAP director-general Abdul Karim Daudpota and some other senior officials were among many exporters and bank officials accused of embezzlement of export development funds. They caused a great loss to the national exchequer through financial irregularities and bogus export claims on freight subsidies approved by the former PPP government for exporters.