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Dr. Arslan Iftikhar |
Iftikhar, in his plea, stated that Riaz had claimed during a talk-show on a private TV channel that he has pictures of Iftikhar’s family, which was a very serious matter and should be thoroughly investigated.
He requested the court to bar him (Riaz) from posting the so-called material or evidence on social media websites including Twitter, pleading that the material should be presented before the court as the matter was sub-judice.
He asked the court to direct the police authorities to register an FIR against Malik Riaz for running a campaign against him in the media.
The petition stated that Malik Riaz had in the past shunned from fulfilling his legal responsibilities and also alleged that he has violated the law by not appearing in the court despite being summoned.
The petition moreover said that if Riaz had any evidence against Arsalan, then that evidence should be submitted, otherwise action should be taken and offices of Bahria Town should be sealed.
Arsalan moreover requested that he had been provided security as he was no longer living at his family residence.
A two-member bench of the Supreme Court – including Justice Jawad S Khwaja and Justice Khilji Arif is hearing a financial impropriety case against Dr Iftikhar.
Following media reports that Dr Arsalan had received between Rs300 and Rs400 million from Riaz to influence judicial proceedings, the chief justice had taken a suo motu notice and had summoned him and Bahria Town’s chief.
Speaking to the media on the premises of the Supreme Court, Riaz’s counsel, Zahid Bukhari termed Dr Iftikhar’s plea seeking Riaz’s arrest a “conspiracy” to stop him from coming back, vowing that his client will return to Pakistan even if there are 10 cases against him.
He said that Riaz is likely to come to Pakistan by tonight against his doctor’s recommendation, adding that Riaz was bringing back evidence with him that will be “as strong as a bomb” and that he had “news to give to the media.”
Earlier on Saturday, Arsalan submitted a brief statement in the apex court dubbing the allegations against him as frivolous and unfounded.
He refuted any relationship, intimacy or acquaintance whatsoever with Riaz, his daughter or son-in-law and said he had never met them in relation to any business deal or for any purpose in or outside Pakistan.