Arsalan Iftikhar case: SC rejects Riaz's application for larger bench

Arsalan Iftikhar submits his reply to Supreme Court, denies accusations.


Web Desk June 09, 2012

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court of Pakistan rejected the application filed by Zahid Bukhari, counsel of Bahria Town chief Malik Riaz, for the constitution of a larger bench to hear the Arsalan Iftikhar case, reported Express News on Saturday.

The court maintained that the constitution of a larger bench cannot be taken into consideration till a written reply by Riaz is filed to the court. A two-member bench, comprising Justice Jawad S Khwaja and Justice Khilji, will hear the case on Monday.

The Supreme Court had ordered both respondents of the case, Dr Arsalan Iftikhar and Riaz, to submit their detailed replies by June 9, but Riaz did not submit any reply. When Express News contacted Riaz's counsel to comment on his future actions, Bukhari said that his client will only appear before the court when he is summoned by the court itself.

Meanwhile, Dr Arsalan, son of Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, submitted his detailed reply in the Supreme Court earlier on Saturday.

Arsalan denies all links to Riaz

In his reply, Arsalan denied all accusations against him and said that the statements of Riaz were contradictory, and if the contradiction is proved, the court should initiate an inquiry against him.

He added that all news related to him being published in the newspapers and being aired on television are wrong and only the statements he submits in the court should be given consideration.

Earlier, upon objections raised by Attorney General Irfan Qadir, the chief justice quit the three-member bench hearing his son’s case.

Qadir had said that it was against the “code of conduct” for the chief justice to hear the case.

COMMENTS (39)

Amjad | 11 years ago | Reply

For all those showing hatred toward the prosecution (attorney general) it is his job to prosecute. If he is soft then he is not doing his job and becomes defense lawyer. There are three main parties in the court defense, prosecution and independent judiciary. They all do their job to make a fair trial. It is funny in this case there is a prosecutor (which is a must) but in Memo case the PCO judges took the role of both prosecution and judge. In this case the only problem is the obvious conflict of interest. Either Pakistan is a democracy with a constitution or it is a tribal populist society where the father plays a hero. Let us leave the justice to normal legal and constitutional ethics and norms. In any lawful society the father cannot be even a member of a jury let alone the chief judge. Why are we bent upon making a mockery of Pakistan in the world?

Somia | 11 years ago | Reply

Dr Arslan got admission into medical college because he was son of a high court judge. He became a section officer , then got into FIA , promoted to 18 grade- all because he was a son of a Supreme Court PCO judge. Mishap happened when the govt. was pressed hard to induct him into police service of Pakistan. He has became a business tycoon, spends lavishly on foreign trips, and black mails another dubious business house because he is a son of CJ of Pakistan. We are told that CJ and his family are unaware of all his deeds of last over 15 years. They just happen to be living under one roof and spending lavishly on foreign trips including at Harrods.

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