Lifestyle of the not-so-rich and infamous

If Malik Riaz’s contentions are to be believed, then Dr Arsalan is a true connoisseur of great luxury.

ISLAMABAD:

If we are to believe Malik Riaz’s contentions, the chief justice’s son is a true connoisseur of great luxury. The 80-odd pages of “evidence” provided to the court by Riaz and his lawyer details a paid trip to no less than Monte Carlo – a lavish and ritzy Quartiere (subdivision) of the European city state of Monaco, and one of the richest places on the planet.

Located at the coast of the Mediterranean, Monaco is a part of the glamorous French Riviera – known to be the haunt of the world’s rich and famous.

According to the details provided to the court on Tuesday, Dr Arsalan is alleged to have travelled from London to Monte Carlo on July 25, 2010 – along with two companions, one of which is a “female” whose name has been kept “confidential.” The British Airways’ (BA0348) tickets cost 1,011.51 pounds – an amount alleged to have been paid by Riaz’s son-in-law Salman Ahmed through his debit card from Natwest Bank. Dr Arslan and his companions are said to have stayed in Monte Carlo for four days.

The four days in marvelous Monte Carlo were at no less than the 150-year-old historic Hotel de Paris – two rooms with a “superior courtyard view” at a cost of 8,120 Euros. Monaco is known for having the first few casinos of the region, and the most glamorous ones at that – and Malik Riaz claims Dr Arsalan “heavily gambled” and lost some 10,000 Euros, which were paid in cash. No other expenses are detailed of the Monte Carlo expedition, which cost a cool Rs2,138,160. Not bad for four days without any other expenses – all allegedly borne by Riaz’s son-in-law.

Back in Pakistan, this was the weekend following the three-year extension given to our very own chief of army staff, and at a time there was a heated case underway in the Supreme Court over the legitimacy of the 18th Amendment. While in Monte Carlo, Dr Arsalan would ostensibly have also allegedly learnt of the Airblue crash, which claimed the lives of over 150 people.

The first trip

This foray to Monte Carlo was during one of three alleged fully-paid trips to London – two of which are alleged to have included the chief justice’s family.

This one-month trip took place in June-July 2010. Arsalan and the rest of the chief justice’s family are said to have stayed at “Flat no 63, Fitzharding House, 12-14 Portman Square, London.” That’s not quite as glamorous as the Hotel De Paris, but it’s central London, no less – and close to Bond Street station. The relatively less luxurious stay was seemingly offset by what seems to be a staggering shopping spree – the entire amount coming to 40,000 pounds (Rs5.8 million). The stay and shopping was accentuated by the month-long hiring of a sleek Range Rover Sport HST for the alleged use of Dr Arsalan at a cost of 5,350 pounds (Rs775,750).

While the receipt of the Range Rover has been provided to the court, there seem to be no details of the 40,000 pounds worth of stay and shopping.

Adding the London vacation to the Monte Carlo foray, the total cost came to a whopping total of “Rs8,860,579.”

Second sojourn

The experience would have had to be a great, given that two more alleged trips were to follow in 2011.

The first of these was a solo trip at the end of March 2011 – when Dr Arsalan allegedly stayed at the ritzy Hilton at Park Lane from March 25 to April 3 in “Room 2413” at a base cost of over 400 pounds a day.

This trip was relatively ‘cheap’ – costing 4,778.96 pounds (Rs692,949). Apparently, according to the detailed bill, Dr Arsalan was nice enough not to raid the minibar, which cost only 4.50 pounds per day. The receipts have been provided to the court.

The last of the three alleged trips was once again with the chief justice’s family – once again a one-month long trip (“four weeks and two days”) from June 18 to July 18, 2011. This time they are alleged to have stayed at Park Lane’s Marriot Hotel Flats at the rate of 4,000 pounds per week – totaling 17,342 pounds. Seemingly meticulous, Malik Riaz’s statement bothers to detail that, though the flat was booked from the 18th of June, the family arrived on the 19th. Once again details are provided of the flat lease and the money transfers for the payments from Salman Ahmed’s bank account in Habib Bank AG Zurich’s London branch.

Interestingly, a copy of the tenancy agreement is shown to be signed by Dr Arsalan. Given that the last time Dr Arsalan allegedly asked for a Range Rover Sport, this time he is alleged to have asked for a month-long rental of a Ranger Rover Vogue. But it apparently cost less than the sport – 4,800 pounds as opposed to the Sport’s cost of over 5,350 pounds. The rental agreement is shown to have Dr Arsalan’s driving license.

The month-long stay was extended by two nights - for which two rooms were booked at the Marriot Hotel, Park Lane, at the cost of 3,376.80 pounds. The payment, it is once again alleged, was made by Mr Salman Ahmed through his Visa Platinum Card. The receipts were also provided to the court.  Showing that he was a good host, Malik Riaz’s son in law also says that Dr Arsalan was provided 15,500 pounds in cash – seemingly for ‘kharcha paani.’ That’s a family vacation costing “Rs5,947,726”. And that’s three trips costing Rs15,501,254.

The rest of the alleged Rs340 million?

Simple: Rs327 million in alleged cash in four installments of Rs157, Rs20, Rs80 and Rs70 million. But there’s no evidence attached for this whopping cash generosity.

Published In The Express Tribune, June 13^th, 2012.