Islamabad: Former premier Yousuf Raza Gilani has said he would prefer going to jail rather than appear before Pakistan`s anti-corruption watchdog that is investigating graft charges against him.
The National Accountability Bureau had summoned Gilani yesterday to record his statement regarding a Rs 82-billion scam in the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority during the tenure of Tauqir Sadiq, who was appointed by the ex-premier.
Gilani said with every passing moment, every institution under the PML-N government was hatching conspiracies against his Pakistan People`s Party and President Asif Ali Zardari.
"How can I appear before an institution whose credibility was challenged by the son of the Chief Justice of Pakistan, by not appearing before NAB," Gilani said in an interview with The Express Tribune in his hometown of Multan.
"I don`t expect justice from any institution," he said.
Sadiq was recently extradited from the UAE to face charges in Pakistan.
Apart from Gilani, another former premier, Raja Pervez Ashraf, is being probed for his role in Tauqir`s appointment. Ashraf, as Power Minister under Gilani, had approved the appointment.
Gilani alleged that the PML-N government was trying to involve him illegally in every inquiry.
The former premier was disqualified by the Supreme Court last year after being convicted of contempt for failing to implement an order to reopen corruption cases against Zardari.
Gilani expressed doubts about the general election in which the PPP was routed by the PML-N. "How could we lose in the elections when we had won every bye-election before the May 11 polls on the basis of our performance," he asked.
Separately, NAB has issued a notice to the Punjab Police chief for failing to present Gilani for a probe.
PTI
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.