After Suddle Commission’s findings will Arsalan Iftikhar get ‘due punishment’?

By Sarmad Ali

Islamabad, Dec 6 (www.pakdestiny.com) Will the Supreme Court take action against the son of the ‘most powerful’ man, Iftikhar Chaudhry, after Arsalan Iftikhar’s relationship with property tycoon Malik Riaz has established in the Suddle Commission which was formed non-else but the SC.

However, at the same time the commission also tried to save the neck of Arsalan but confusing his making millions with the help of Riaz with ‘tax evasion’ issue.

According Riaz, he had paid Rs342 million to Arsalan Iftikhar in order to get verdicts in his favour from the court.

According to the Suddle Commission’s Preliminary Report, there were relations between Arsalan Iftikhar and Ahmed Khalil, close associate of Malik Riaz.

“The initial report submitted before the Supreme Court is subject to any change in future if both parties cooperate and give more details.”

In the report it has been mentioned that Ahmed Khalil had spent Rs5m on travelling and stay abroad of Arsalan Iftikhar and his family. But Rs4.5m had been returned by Arsalan Iftikhar.” The money was returned to Ahmed Khalil in August last year, nine months before the case was filed, the report said.

The report confirmed that members of the chief justice’s family had travelled abroad and that their expenses were borne by Ahmed Khalil. Malik Riaz had claimed that he had paid about Rs290m to Arsalan Iftikhar in cash, but he had no evidence to support his claim.

Dr Suddle sought time to prepare a comprehensive report and said he required cooperation from the petitioner and accused.

“The only way to know the facts is that the two parties sit in front of the commission so that it can be ascertained who is right and who is wrong.”

Malik Riaz’s lawyer Wahid Hussein Bookmark said whatever his client had claimed had been proven in the report. “Theft is theft whether it is of a penny or a pound.”

He claimed that Malik Riaz had more evidence about the money paid to Arsalan, but it would not be presented before the commission.

Mr Bookmark said his client was planning to file a case against Arsalan Iftikhar in the UK where more evidence would be shared with the court. He said Malik Riaz’s review petition in the Supreme Court against the formation of the commission would be
heard on Friday.

“I will also file objections on the commission’s report on that day.”

The preliminary report also contained details of Arsalan Iftikhar’s bank accounts.

The Supreme Court had assigned the investigation to the commission on Oct 1 after dissolving a joint investigation team, headed by a NAB official, on July 31 after Arsalan Iftikhar accused its members of partiality.
But the million dollar question is how Arsalan made about a billion in three years as before starting the business some three years ago he was a grade-18 official in police on deputation.