Former Pak PM Yousuf Raza Gilani Stopped From Leaving Country

Former Pakistan prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, who is facing corruption charges, was stopped from leaving the country by immigration officials at the Lahore airport after his name popped up in the no-fly list.

According to the Federal Investigation Agency, 66-year-old Gilani reached the Allama Iqbal International Airport here Tuesday night to board a flight for South Korea via Bangkok to attend a conference. However, his name was on the no-fly list.

"At the immigration counter, Mr Gilani was told that his name was placed on the black list therefore he could not leave the country," the FIA said, adding that it was following orders from the interior ministry.

Reacting strongly, the senior Pakistan Peoples Party leader said he always appeared in courts in the different cases against him.

"There was no point in placing my name on (the) no-fly list. I was not fleeing the country. Prime Minister Imran Khan's sole agenda seems to be targeting his political opponents," Gilani said.

"The ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government should have informed me about blacklisting my name," Gilani said, adding that he will challenge the "illegal decision" of the government.

Gilani is facing several corruption cases and last week, the accountability court of Islamabad rejected his plea seeking exemption from personal appearance in a case related to awarding alleged illegal advertising contract to a private agency.

He is accused of misusing authority to illegally grant Messrs Midas an advertising contract in contravention of the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority rules.

The act is reported to have cost the national treasury Rs 129.07 million.