Dr Arsalan case: Malik Riaz not to appear before Suddle

Citing family relations between CJ and Suddle, counsel says that findings of the inquiry could not be impartial.

LAHORE: Zahid Bokhari, counsel for real-estate billionaire Malik Riaz, has stated that neither he nor his client will appear before an inquiry commission set up by the Supreme Court to investigate the Arsalan-Riaz scandal. Citing family relations between Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry and head of the commission Dr Shoaib Suddle, Bokhari said that the findings of the inquiry could not be impartial. Talking to the media at the Lahore High Court premises, Bokhari said, “We will not appear before the commission till a decision on a review petition pending before Supreme Court against the constitution of the commission.” The Supreme Court had formed the commission to probe into the allegations of misconduct in financial dealings between the CJP’s son Dr Asralan and Malik Riaz after the court had accepted an earlier review petition filed by Dr Arsalan.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 27^th, 2012.