By Aamir Latif

KARACHI, Pakistan

A Pakistani anti-corruption court on Thursday indicted the country’s former prime minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani in a multi-million dollar corruption case, local media reported.

The federal anti-corruption court in the southern port city of Karachi charged Gilani, who also serves as the vice chairman of the main opposition Pakistan People Party (PPP), and 25 other government officials for misuse of authority and their alleged involvement in the approval of fraudulent trade subsidies during his stint from 2008 to 2012.

The accused pleaded not guilty to the charges. The court has summoned the prosecution witnesses for the next hearing on April 11.

Gilani had also served as the speaker of the lower house -- the National Assembly -- from 1993 to 1996, and as federal minister several times.

Apart from Gilani, two other former prime ministers -- Nawaz Sharif and Raja Pervez Ashraf -- are also being tried in different corruption cases.