DUBAI: The man who has challenged the Chief Justice of Pakistan in the Arsalan graft case, Bahria Town tycoon Malik Riaz, says he does not accept the present Supreme Court as he does not expect justice from these judges.
“This court is being controlled by the don Dr Arsalan and the entire court is under his influence,” Malik Riaz told The News in a 15-minute telephonic conversation from Islamabad. The conversation was on the record except for one point, which he asked not to be reported about a meeting between Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan and the chief justice.
“Arsalan has influence on his father and other judges. He is the don of all the judiciary,” he stated categorically, repeating his charges that he made at a news conference on Tuesday.
When told that his statements would offend all the judges of the SC and he could be held in contempt, Malik Riaz said he had documentary evidence that instructions were sent to give pre-decided judgments. “I know how instructions are sent. I have documentary evidence how instructions are sent. I will soon present this.”
Malik Riaz rejected the explanation offered by the registrar of the SC in response to his three questions, saying that he had asked the questions from the chief justice and he (CJ) should reply in person. “I had not asked the registrar to respond but the chief justice should state on oath and he should respond to my questions.”
He again repeated the charge that the chief justice himself went to the house of Ahmad Khalil, his business partner. “Do these big people go to others on Eid day or people come to their houses?” he asked.
Asked whether he had met CJ after his restoration, he said: “I will respond only after the CJ responds to my questions personally.”When told he had burnt his boats by going public, Malik Riaz said he had become desperate and had been pushed to the wall. “Why will anyone commit suicide until absolutely desperate?”
He said the hearing of his case in the Supreme Court by the chief justice on Tuesday when his attorney had pulled out, was the kind of black mailing he was facing.He admitted that his son-in-law paid Dr Arsalan to get cases settled in his favour. But he said there were many others like him who will soon come forward to form a club of mutaasireen (victims) of Arsalan. “I have left my case in the hands of God,” he said.
When The News started asking some more questions, Malik Riaz said he would call back as he had an important matter to attend to. News Desk adds: Talking to a private TV channel, Malik Riaz said President Asif Ali Zardari put forward two conditions for the restoration of Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry, which he accepted.
Malik Riaz claimed that in his meetings with the deposed chief justice, he had requested for two things — first, Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry will not trouble the PPP government unduly, and secondly, he (CJ) will not run a parallel government.
The business tycoon said he had a lot of secrets in his heart. He said he was helping the government but the government was not helping him.Malik Riaz said he had all the respect for the chief justice but he should answer the questions put to him.
To a question he said, “If I am a tax evader, the government should arrest me.” He said he was ready to go to jail or to die. He charged that he was being blackmailed for the last two years.He said Dr Arsalan used be present in the meetings held with Iftikhar Chaudhry.
Online adds: Malik Riaz clarified that he had not accused the chief justice of anything.When asked about repercussions which may arise following such a news conference, Malik Riaz replied that he did not care if he was charged with contempt or sent to prison.“The Supreme Court would be responsible if our project was made to sink,” he said.
Recalling the days of his past, he said he used to be a poor man who had to walk on foot for as many as eight kilometres as he had no money. “I did not even have enough cash for medical treatment of my daughter,” he added.He said whatever he owned today was bestowed to him by the grace of Allah, adding that 75 percent of his assets were being used for welfare work.
“I have been blackmailed, and like me many other businessmen were blackmailed too,” he alleged, adding, that he had always supported the chief justice in his columns. “But, Arsalan Iftikhar is a don,” he insisted.Malik Riaz said he went to the Supreme Court not for buying justice but to present the facts.