‘Three questions for Justice Chaudhry’

Real estate tycoon Malik Riaz Hussain on Tuesday dug deep into his pockets to present evidence against Dr Arsalan Iftikhar, the son of the Chief Justice of Pakistan, in the Supreme Court, coupled with putting up three crucial questions for Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry and demanding answers from the top judge of the country.
At a crowded press conference following the hearing of the suo motu case, Malik Riaz held a copy of the Holy Quran in his hand, saying the apex court had denied him justice whenever he sought it.
During the press conference, the copies of the 84-page statement submitted to the SC by Malik Riaz were shared with the media, but no additional evidence was provided.
Riaz made several attacks against the CJP and superior judiciary during his press interaction and also made contradictory claims.
At one time, he said he respected the CJP a lot, but later claimed that a Sessions judge had initiated an inquiry against him on the CJP’s behest. He also claimed that even the Federal Investigation Agency had also been directed to implicate him in a murder case.
In an emotional tone, Malik Riaz went on to claim that the superior “judiciary is hostage to a don” – who he said was not the CJP, but his son Arsalan Iftikhar.
Posing his questions, Malik Riaz said, “The chief justice should tell how many meetings he (CJP) held with him in the darkness of the night in presence of Arsalan Iftikhar and even the SC registrar. He should also tell how many meetings he had held with the prime minister at the residence of Ahmed Khalil in presence of a sitting judge of the Supreme Court. He should also tell for how long had he known about his son’s deeds and why did he not take a suo motu notice earlier.”
“Why did the CJP take suo motu notice only when the story was revealed by journalists,” he asserted.
He said a common friend had also conveyed to the CJP the truth about Arsalan’s blackmailing, but alleged that the CJP refused to even see the documents possessed by him.
He said like several businessmen, he had also been blackmailed by Arsalan.
To a question whether he had bribed Arsalan, Malik Riaz said he did not bribe anyone, rather he was being blackmailed.
To another query whether he wanted a reference be filed against the CJP, he said he would not become a tool for anyone and he had lot of respect for Justice Chaudhry.
He also rubbished the notion of political motives behind his allegations, saying President Asif Ali Zardari had in fact asked him not to go public with the issue.
Raiz said he had been making efforts for continuity of the democratic system for the last six months and he also wanted not to lose his credibility.
He alleged that cases were registered against Bahria Town and the lower judiciary was pressurized and dictated to victimise him and his business.
Riaz said he had only revealed the facts as he did not want to be blackmailed anymore. He said if Bahria Town was victimized, the apex court would be responsible.
“I am ready to go jail, even ready to die. I don’t owe anyone even a single penny…” Riaz said, adding that he would drop another “bomb” in a press conference in a few days.
He avoided a question that asked him the number of journalists on his payroll.