Senate Chairman Cleared of All Charges in Multi-Billion Rupee TDAP Scandal

KARACHI: On Friday, an anti-corruption court acquitted Senate Chairman Yousuf Raza Gilani in all remaining cases related to the multibillion-rupee Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) scandal.

The proceedings took place at the Federal Anti-Corruption Court in Karachi, where Gilani — who served as Pakistan’s prime minister from 2008 to 2012 — appeared in person.

Gilani, along with former TDAP chairman Tariq Iqbal Puri, ex-director general Abdul Karim Daudpota, and others, faced more than two dozen cases. They were accused of approving and distributing freight subsidies worth billions of rupees to companies based on fraudulent claims, allegedly in violation of the official procedures for the subsidy scheme.

Formal charges were filed in 2018 against Gilani, Daudpota, Farooq Awan Puri, Mohammad Zubair, and about 20 other individuals.

After reviewing arguments from both the prosecution and defense, the court acquitted Gilani of the last 14 pending TDAP cases. He had already been cleared in 12 similar cases earlier.

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