Off-air leak a ‘big conspiracy’, says Riaz’s counsel

Bukhari demands that the hidden faces behind the conspiracy be exposed.

LAHORE:


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.

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