Zahid Bukhari, the counsel for real estate magnate Malik Riaz, said on Saturday that the leaked off-air footage of his client’s controversial Dunya TV interview appeared to be ‘a big conspiracy’, adding that he would stand by the court against this conpiracy.
Bukhari, whose entry into the Lahore Bar has been banned due to his representing Riaz in the Dr Arsalan case, was addressing a press conference in Lahore. He demanded that the hidden faces behind the conspiracy be exposed.
Bukhari said the Supreme Court did not give “a clean chit” to any one which showed that there was an imminent need to investigate the situation. The controversial property developer’s counsel also claimed that his client had not given any money or bungalows to journalists, an allegation making the rounds since a list containing a list of media persons apparently on Riaz’s payroll was leaked.
Bukhari also read out an email which he claimed was sent to him by Riaz in which, he said, Riaz had denied giving any financial or other favours to journalists. The counsel further claimed that the list of journalists, allegedly given cars, property and cash which was published on a Bahria Town letterhead, was bogus and had no legal significance.
Regarding questions pertaining to Riaz’s allegations against the chief justice and the superior judiciary during a press conference in Islamabad earlier this week Bukhari said he had no association with his client’s comments. He added “it would have been better” if his client had consulted him prior to holding the contentious press conference.
Published In The Express Tribune, June 17th, 2012.
COMMENTS (23)
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There must be some conspiracy theory for this leakage. In deep analysis it comes out that Mr Mallick Riaz interview was seen more and more after this act of stolen material publication. Stolen material was itself seen by every one, highlighting Malick Riaz's question against CJ, his son and many others. There was no other way to emphasis his questions repeatedly. It concludes that it might be Mr Malick Riaz himself in exposing off the record video??
@Muhammed Usama Aziz:
That's how the legal system works. Lawyers represent everyone. Even the 9/11 conspirators got court-appointed lawyers. It's a fundamental right.
Malik Riaz was a saint to the Pakistani media and so called intellectuals before Arsalan scandal. Nobody, in open pointed any fingers to him and his wealth. However, after the revelation of allegations, he has been portrayed as a rapacious trader always up for exploitation.
I don't think anybody is sincere here. Neither the judiciary nor the Pakistani media nor the business community alongside the politicians.
Everything is a conspiracy except the inflation and lack of electricity. Yes, they are for real.
Reminds me of MAD magazine's "spy vs. spy".. In Pakistan, it is "conspiracy vs. conspiracy".... What joy... I am jealous of Pakistanis..they are having way too much fun...
Last time i read bukhari had quit being riaz lawyer so was he lying than or is he lying now
yes - i agree with someone up there - - we are NATION of conspirators :) we think Jews are conspiring against ourselves, our nation - we even think that when milk man add Water in our Milk - it is a consipiracy. We also ensure that when when Policeman asks for RISHWAT - we blame it on India. We put all of our problems to CONSPIRATORS and do nothing to stop it. What a nation are we ?....
I guess - it is now time to STOP saying it and ACT and work to make this nation a better one. We have all it takes to be a great nation - the Only thing missing is _ ACCEPT OUR MISTAKES
I may not like Bukhari but don't stop him to fight within the system and seek what system allow to his client. Let the court roul not any one else.
@Mirza: So it means no matter what heinous crime a person commits, the lawyer will still defend that person and forget the injustices meted out to the other side?
If this is so, then humanity is at its lowest ebb!!
I am becoming convinced........Pakistanis don't need our " bollywood........they have their own talk shows and the glorious persons hosting them
The whistle blowers should be congratulated !
Buddy tell me how was it a conspiracy?.The whole interview was a staged show.
"Regarding questions pertaining to Riaz’s allegations against the chief justice and the superior judiciary during a press conference in Islamabad earlier this week Bukhari said he had no association with his client’s comments." Think again. This was also a conspiracy! Someone told Riaz to say such things without consulting you!
@Mirza: We are also fulfilling our duty.....to speak our conscious. Why are you upset?
This was a conspiracy to save the nation from the likes of Malik riaz & co. We are all for it.
If this is a conspiracy, the nation would like more of these conspiracies to expose the black sheep in our society.
its seems like everyone in Pakistan is conspiring against someone at all times
Tracking the exact people behind the leak and having some form of meaningful outcome is a lost cause. The way they did it leaves enough room for each and every accused to deny it and point the finger elsewhere. He said, she said. They'd probably have to go after the company as a whole. Though you might get their version of a scapegoat once you do.
The right to have an attorney is the basic fundamental right of every person. Even the serial killers have this right and it cannot be denied. If a person cannot afford a lawyer the govt provides him with one. Like a doctor and other professionals it is the duty of a lawyer to help his client no matter what. Anything else would be unethical and unprofessional. Both Ahsan and Bukhari are doing their professional job and it makes some upset why?