Dr Arsalan Iftikhar case: SC disbands Suddle commission, wraps up proceedings

ISLAMABAD:

Given the build up and the hype surrounding the case, the result was an anti-climax of sorts.

In a surprising turn of events, the Supreme Court (SC) disbanded the one-man commission headed by former police official Dr Shoaib Suddle on Friday. The commission had been constituted to probe graft allegations against Dr Arsalan Iftikhar, son of the Chief Justice of Pakistan.

The SC wrapped up the case proceedings observing that it was an issue between two individuals and they could take up the matter at any relevant forum.

The move came two days after the commission submitted its interim report about an alleged Rs342 million business deal between Dr Arsalan and property tycoon Malik Riaz Hussain. The court also issued directives to make the third report public. Former chairman of Bahria Town, Malik Riaz, had strongly criticised the one-man inquiry commission constituted to probe graft allegations against the son of the chief justice.



The businessman alleged that Arsalan lived in a Portman Square penthouse which costs Rs7 million a month in addition to enjoying services of the best hotels in London. Riaz said that receipts and proofs of these expenses have been submitted to the SC, but no action was taken.

During the proceedings, Arsalan’s counsel Sardar Ishaq requested the bench to dispose of the matter because his client’s reputation is being tarnished on TV channels. Likewise, Riaz’s counsel Zahid Bukhari also pleaded the court to stop the commission’s proceedings so that whichever party wanted to take whatever legal recourse, could approach the concerned avenues in this regard.

Media talk

Dr Arsalan, while talking to the media on the SC premises, said that he had already maintained that the allegations, levelled against him by Riaz, were baseless.

“Despite the passage of six months, no evidence to prove those allegations were produced before the court,” he said, adding that he had  submitted a 200-page statement to the commission in his defence, stating that he had presented himself for accountability.

Arsalan said he is a responsible citizen and had not evaded any tax. He maintained Riaz did not sponsor his foreign tours, adding that he travelled at his own expense. In response to a question, he said he would file “one of the biggest damages suits in the country” against Riaz after consulting his legal team.

Meanwhile, Riaz’s counsel Bukhari maintained that allegations against Arsalan were accurate, while speaking to media at the SC premises. He said his client had been raising objections over the legality of the commission from day one, adding that Riaz’s objection on the commission’s report had been noted by the court.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 8^th, 2012.