Dr Arsalan claims he did not receive NAB's notice: Report

Dr Arsalan Iftikhar expresses distrust in the joint investigation team.

Dr Arsalan Iftikhar, son of Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry and key respondent in a graft case, has claimed that he not received any notice from National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to appear before its joint investigation team on Monday.

Speaking to Geo News, Dr Arsalan said that he was waiting for the notice and added that he did not have any faith in the investigation team.

The other two respondents, Salman Ahmed (son-in-law of former Chairman of Bahria Town Malik Riaz) and his business partner Ahmed Khalil also did not appear before the team to record their statements.

Ahmed, in a fax message sent from the UK, maintained that he was receiving life threats and it was not possible for him to travel to Pakistan for this case. He, however, agreed to record his statements outside the country. Khalil, in his letter, also informed the investigation team that he was undergoing medical treatment in Germany, thus being unable to appear before the team.

The team issued another notice to Dr Arsalan for July 26 and to Registrar Supreme Court Dr Faqir Hussain to appear personally on July 25.

The five-member team, headed by NAB’s Financial Crime Wing Director General Kosar Iqbal Malik, had issued separate notices to Dr Arsalan, Ahmed and Khalil to appear before the team last week.

Sources in the bureau had revealed that if any of the three failed to appear before the investigation team, NAB will issue non-bailable warrants against them for non-cooperation.

Riaz, the real estate tycoon, had recorded his statement before the joint investigation team at NAB’s headquarters in which he had made a number of crucial disclosures.

NAB had also decided to contact authorities in Britain and the United Arab Emirates to obtain all related documents of the case, including payments made through credit cards.