ISLAMABAD: Justice Noorul Haq N.

Qureshi of the Islamabad High Court (IHC), on Wednesday, granted protective bail to former Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani for 7 days in another case, filed against him over his alleged involvement in the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) scandal.

On Tuesday, the former PM was given protective bail in eight cases. He has already posted ball in 12 of the 21 cases registered against him and others. On Wednesday, Gillani arrived in court alongside his counsel Farooq H Naek, former Punjab governor Latif Khosa and his son Ali Musa.

The case deals with a notification issued by the PPP government under Gillani`s term, which cost the exchequer billions of rupees. According to Gillani`s counsel Raja Aleem Abbasi, different companies reaped financial benefits from the notification.

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) registered a total of 21 cases against these companies, while others, including Mr Gillani and Makhdoom Amin Fahim, were also implicated as accused.

Mr Gillani`s counsel argued in court that his client was being politically victimised and the fact that 21 cases had been formed against him on the same allegation was indicative of mala fide intent. At this, the bench granted protective ball to against Rs100,000 in surety bonds.

Mr Naek also argued that there were also new cases that were being instituted against his client and that he should also be provided relief in those matters as well. However, the court observed that it could not provide relief without a case being filed.

Outside the courtroom, Mr Gillani told reporters that the federal government had adopted a discriminatory attitude and only the character of one political party had been assassinated.

The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has always respected the judiciary and it will keep doing so, he said. He also expressed apprehensions that five or six new cases would be instituted against him soon.

`FIA raided my Multan residence and harassed my servants. NAB is also forming baseless cases against me. The leaders of my party, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto, also faced such cases and we will also prove our innocence, he said.

Former Punjab governor Latif Khosa said NAB had submitted a list of cases before the Supreme Court where Nawaz Sharif, Shahbaz Sharif and Ishaq Dar were at top of the list. It is discriminatory that only his party is being targeted, he said.

`In the case of Asif Ali Zardari, 17-year-old cases were being re-opened but in Lahore, 2600 2-kanal plots were distributed and nobody took notice.

Mr Naek told reporters that the FIA has been ridiculing the law. There is only allegation against my client; that a deputy secretary, Mohammad Zubair, collected Rs5 million for Yousaf Raza Gillani. This statement was obtained through torture and such baseless cases should not be formed as they are a source of humiliation for the country.