ISLAMABAD: The counsel for Malik Riaz, real estate tycoon, and the main party in a suo motu case regarding alleged Rs400 million favours to Chief Justice's son, on Tuesday pleaded before the Supreme Court for constituting of a judicial commission, handing over investigation of the case by probe agencies or to constitute a larger bench.
Zahid Bukhari, counsel for Malik Riaz, appeared before the two-member bench comprising Justice Jawwad S. Khawaja and Justice Khilji Arif Hussain and submitted a concise statement of his client containing documents about alleged Rs 35 crore and 25 lac expenditures incurred upon three family trips of Dr Arsalan Iftikhar, son of Chief Justice of Pakistan during 2009, 2010 and 2011.
Zahid Hussain said that an additional 83 pages were attached with the statement containing the relevant details.
To bench's query, the counsel replied that all these favours were got through black mailing and extortion by dr Arsalan through his friend Ahmed Khalil who was also a joint friend of Malik Riaz's son in law Salman Ahmed.
He apprised that Salman Ahmed was a UK citizen and doing property business there.
Reading out a concise statement of Malik Riaz, he said that his client was defrauded and cheated through his son in law as dr Arsalan assured his son in law to get favourable decisions on the cases pending before a bench headed by his father, the Chief Justice of Pakistan.
He said that they had the evidences which could be shared with the bench in camera.
In Monte Carlo, Arsalan's stay cost them 8,800 ponds and referred to two cheques cashed in name of Sana Salman and Salman Ahmed, he added.
He dispelled media reports that in the case nobody from the government, political party or politician was involved in it.
The counsel further said that nobody promoted him to reveal the issue and said that his son Ali Riaz or Bahria Town had no relation whatsoever with the pending issue.
To bench question, he admitted that from 2009, his client did not get any relief from the court.
He also raised objection over suo motu proceedings in the issue saying that no issue of public importance was involved in the instant matter.
Justice Jawwad S. Khawaja observed that their collective objective was that the reputation of the institution should remain unscathed which was immersed with blood and tears of the people of Pakistan.
Sardar Muhammad Ishaq, counsel for Arsalan, said that they would have no objection over formation of a commission but insisted that if the case was handed over to other investigation agency like NAB or FIA, as they would not conduct a fair investigation.
However, Justice Khiji Arif Hussain objected to it and observed that it was an issue between two individuals and from where the question of importance arose - Justice Jawwad observed that this impression was not correct if they continued marginalizing their investigation agencies in this way.
He said that there would be equal treatment to everyone and by taking a decision over the issue, the bench would consider it as a great trust.
Attorney general for Pakistan Irfan Qadir apprised the bench that the issue could be investigated by the National Accountability Bureau under section 9 and 18 of the National Accountability Ordinance.
On bench's query, Ghulam Nabi Yosufzai, president Press Association of Supreme Court, appeared and stated that they had not a written code of conduct for mediapersons, however, PEMRA had framed the same for electronic channels, but he was not sure.
To another question, he replied that so far they had not received any complaint about the mediamen.
The bench adjourned hearing till June 14 after observing that they would consider the requests and suggestions made by the parties and would decide how to proceed further in the matter.
Meanwhile, the chief executive of Bahria Town, Ali Riaz Malik also submitted his statement through his counsel Ali Zafar in which he showed ignorance over the deal between Malik Riaz and Arsalan Iftikhar.
The statement said that Ali Riaz was appointed as Bahria Town's chief executive in July 2008 and that Malik Riaz's shares were transferred to Mrs Bina Riaz on May 14, 2012.
The statement further said that the Bahria Town was neither involved in any illegal money transfer or business deal between the two (Malik Riaz and Dr Arsalan) nor Bahria Town, Ali Riaz, Bina Riaz had leveled any charges against Arsalan Iftikhar.
The management reserves the right to respond if allegations are leveled against Bahria Town, the statement said.
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