Not before me. In an expected move in the interest of justice, Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, who had taken a suo motu notice of his son Dr Arsalan Iftikhar’s alleged involvement in a Rs 340 million scam that hit the family of the top judge, on Thursday decided to disengage himself from the bench hearing the case.
However, he remained steadfast in his conviction to protect the institution without any consideration that his son was one of the main characters in the plot that real estate tycoon Malik Riaz had reportedly fabricated to influence the cases pending against him in the Supreme Court.
At the onset of Thursday’s hearing, the chief justice announced to step down from the three-member bench and left the courtroom.
Later, the court continued hearing the case with Justice Jawwad S Khwaja and Justice Khilji Arif Hussain on the bench. “I have faith in Supreme Court judges,” the chief justice remarked after Attorney General Irfan Qadir again argued that the CJP could not be part of a bench hearing his son’s case. The Supreme Court, however, ordered formation of a two-member bench to hear the case.
Talking to reporters outside the Supreme Court, Malik Riaz’s counsel Zahid Bukhari said the chief justice’s decision to step down from the bench was appreciable. Bukhari said Malik Riaz would appear in the court once he recovered and returned to the country.
Before the chief justice stepped down from the bench, he asked TV anchor Kamran Khan whether he had any documentary evidence pertaining to the allegations against Dr Arsalan Iftikhar. Responding to the query, Kamran Khan said Malik Riaz had shown him certain documents which pertained to Dr Arsalan’s travel details as well as a copy of his passport and receipts of the payment made for his shopping abroad through credit cards. Kamran said although the documents had been shown to him, he was not provided with the copies. He told the court that payments for Dr Arsalan’s travel, his stay abroad and shopping had been made by a son-in-law of Malik Riaz.
“I asked Malik Riaz what benefit he took from the favours he had been giving to the CJP’s son, and he responded that so far he had taken no benefit, rather 42 cases were decided against him (Malik Riaz),” Kamran Khan told the bench.
“What is the reason behind such a huge bribe,” the CJP remarked, adding that he was not responsible for his offspring as stated in the Holy Quran.
“I own no house and no car despite having been a judge and hearing high-profile cases for 22 years,” the CJP said.
“I swear I do not know what business Arsalan does. The accused standing before me is not my son, he is just an individual named Arsalan,” he said. Kamran Khan said Riaz had told him that he had also shared the evidence against the CJP’s son with Aitzaz Ahsan who was shocked and started crying. After a brief break, the two-member bench comprising Justice Jawaad Khawaj and Justice Khilji Arif resumed hearing in the case. The counsel for Malik Riaz, Zahid Bukhari, requested that a larger bench be formed to hear the case.
The bench directed Bukhari to inform his client not to conduct a media campaign.
The court directed Malik Riaz and Dr Arsalan to submit their detailed response within two days. The court also summoned the tax returns of Malik Riaz along with the details of his assets. The hearing of the case was adjourned until June 11. What appears from the details given by some anchors and journalists, who had the privilege of having met the real estate tycoon and seen the documentary evidence, it is not simply an act of desperation that Malik Riaz finally lost his patience and decided to expose Dr Arsalan for having cheated him and did not help settle his cases.
The timing of this explosive disclosure is significant. Malik Riaz, who is a close friend of President Asif Ali Zardari, understandably chose to make the issue public at a time when the government was facing a number of cases in the Supreme Court and hitting the top judge with such a volcanic thunder put him in line with other top figures whose sons are also involved in mega scams.
I think CJ should either resign or go to leave abroad so that courts are not influenced by this Italian looking Don. Yes, he can come back and rejoin as Cj if his son is proved innocent.
I also recommend you be sent to India till our country is back (after hanging Zardari & Nawaz & co).
I think you are either a trained dog of the establishment or misguided missile of Mr. Imran Khan.
he is not responsible for the crimes of his son.. why should he exile himself for a crime his son committed??
Correct. Just recusing himself from the case satisfies. No emotions …
And, not guilty until proven beyond doubt …
Good decision of CJP
sab dikhawa…donon judge uskey chamchay hain…they will only target Bahria Town so that he backs off…they have already threatened to close down all Bahria town office…so the Judgement is already prepared…(HE WAS FOUND INNOCENT BY THE HONOURABLE COURT)….!
Pakistanis are sick nation and a failed state. There is no other nation in the world where controversies and intrigues are source of entertainment. This is clear sign of sick nation and crooked mind. There is no other nation in the world who bent on self destruction. They have crook and corrupt president, corrupt minister who are liars and bluder through every day and convicted and Drug smugler P.M. This P.M could not look into eyes of CNN achor who openly told him that he is a liar. This P.M says why 30 % people of Pakistan dont leave Pakistan, who is stopping them. This is most dangerous place in the world, people are living in dark ages. SHAME ON THIS NATION AND COUNTRY
If you dont hany anything positive to say please shut up & die.
You tell me one positive thing about Pakistan. I will die in my time and only God knows when I will die. I will not shut up and speak what is true. Pakistan is indeed a failed state. You should accept this fact and your denying it will not change anything for you.
well said hamid.
Right from the son of an A.S.I,a naib.TEHSILDAR,A.C,D.C,a SECRETARY,a COUNCILOR,a CHAIRMAN,anM.P.A.,anM.N.A,any SON A POLITICIAN, any SON OF CABINET MEMBER, down to the son of PRIMEMINISTER, this use of parents, official position is order of the day!Nothing new and unusual !Does any one want to stop this corruption !?No!and IMPOSSIBLE !solong as this vicious FEUDAL SYSTEM called DEMOCRACY is there !
Such a Brave Man in the history. CJ did a wounder full job. Malik Raydh is playing in the hand of ZarandGilani and want to quit to CJ.
CJ will remain in action InshaAllah.
InshaAllah.
It is good Iftikhar has removed himself from the bench. The problem is present Supreme Court is behaving like a political party where justice is not done rather judgements are made on the basis of political consensus. Investigation of Familygate should be done by a non-judicial forum.
Many of our big/rich politicians do not have a house/car in their name. Today, Iftikhar announced he also does not own one. What a similarity???
Chaudry was forcefully pushed out-such a learned person does not understand "conflict of interest" situation-what a plonker!!!!!
Not fit to be CJP-time to go-hope you have dual nationality
Iftikhar says he does not even own a house.Parliament should now initiate an enquiry to investigate this claim and also how much of the embezzeled monies by his son has ended up in overseas bonds/accounts/shares/properties under pseudonym(s) names-which might be a cover for Chaudry & Co-pay back time Chiefi!!!!!No hard feelings-you have done your job now let the parliament do its job
Arsalan is done. He's cooked. You can stick a fork in him. He's made some bad decisions and some bad judgement calls and now his father is paying the price for it. Unfortunately this price will ultimately, and indirectly, be paid by all Pakistanis because now the gillani mafia will have a free hand and go on the offensive. Sad sad situation.
The father will pay the price for the son's crimes. If this applied to all political leaders as well, we'd have a much better Pakistan.
Time for Ifti to go packing and have fun with millions made by his son. According to Ifti he doesn’t even know what business his owns? Who would buy this bull?
I am amazed .Nowhere do we see the name of the MAIN CULPRIT called RIAZ MALIK.He is the decease that must be handled and eliminated . He should be brought back through Interpol and only then should they proceed. We may discover some more culprits in the process. Arsalan is a doctor and how is it that he practices something else?The PM House is known for such activities and I am sure Malik Reaz made his contribution here too.SO GET MALIK RIAZ.
Site admis you are part of the problem.While you post some disgaceful comments about PM's daughter today, you dare not post anything about Riaz Malik the crook and you seem to be on his payroll too.
This is design by Agencies..CJ is out of agencies hand & will come out of this Drama well….i support CJ and peopl in Pakistan politic are nothing more then a clown. for example Paji Adeel
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