MULTAN, Sept 20: Former speaker of National Assembly and PPP vice-chairman Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani, who was convicted by a NAB court on Sept 18, was released on parole on Monday to attend the funeral of his sister who died in the morning.

She was the mother of Asad Murtaza Gilani, federal parliamentary secretary for religious affairs, and wife of Makhdoom Wajahat Husain Gilani, Sajjada Nasheen of the shrine of Hazrat Musa Pak Shaheed.

Syed Yousaf was sentenced to 10 years' rigorous imprisonment and fined Rs100 million for abuse of his powers. Talking to reporters at the airport, Mr Gilani claimed that the NAB court had transgressed its jurisdiction while convicting him.

He said the NAB had power to award maximum 14 years imprisonment but it had awarded him 15 years imprisonment on the charge of providing jobs to 300 people. He said the assembly was not a subordinate institution of the government.

"It is an autonomous institution which runs its business under the supervision of the speaker who interprets and explain its rules and regulation." He held the government responsible for the death of his sister because she was "shocked when she listened to the news of my conviction."

He vowed to continue struggle for the supremacy of law and parliament and never bow before the dictators. Punishments and jails would not discourage the PPP workers like him, he added.

He said he had already informed the media that the attitude of the NAB court was not fair and judicious and it would award him severe punishment. Meanwhile, the airport was cordoned off by a heavy police contingent in the afternoon when Yousaf Raza Gilani arrived here on a 24-hour parole. -PPI