Former Pakistan PM Yousuf Raza Gilani stopped from boarding plane at Lahore airport

Gilani alleged that he was not informed by the PTI government that his name was blacklisted. He said that he will challenge the "illegal decision" of the government.

File Image: Former Pakistani premier Yousaf Raza Gilani (Photo by ARIF ALI / AFP)

New Delhi: Former Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani was stopped from boarding flight to South Korea on Tuesday at Lahore airport. Gilani was prevented from boarding the plane that was bound to leave the country for South Korea, after his name was found in a no-fly list. Gilani reached the Allama Iqbal International Airport to catch a flight to South Korea where he was scheduled to attend a conference, The Dawn reported but at the immigration counter of the airport he was informed that his name was on the exit control list and he could not leave the country. Gilani then after returned home. "At the immigration counter, Mr Gilani was told that his name was placed on the blacklist, therefore he could not leave the country," said media reports citing the Federal Investigation Agency. The authorities at the airport added that they were following orders from the interior ministry. Reacting strongly, the senior Pakistan People’s Party leader said he always appeared in courts in the different cases against him. He was quoted by news agency PTI as saying "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.” He alleged that he was not informed by the PTI government that his name was blacklisted. He said 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.