Malik Riaz approaches police against blackmailers

ISLAMABAD: Bahria Town Chairman Malik Riaz has lodged a complaint with the Islamabad Police that some retired civil and army officers are extorting money from him in the name of certain big guns.
Malik Riaz himself went to the Lohi Bher police station along with former deputy speaker National Assembly Haji Nawaz Khokhar, his legal consultant Babar Awan and personal staff officer Lt Col (retd) Khalil-ur-Rehman and filed a written application for lodging the First Information Report (FIR) against persons he alleged to have blackmailed him. Lt Col (retd) Tariq Kamal, Lt Col Khalid Rashid (sacked from the army) and Dr Shafique-ur-Rehman have been named in the complaint as the persons involved in the offence of blackmailing and extorting Rs50 million from him. He said Tariq Kamal also tried to blackmail him by using the name of Arslan Iftikhar.
Lt Col (retd) Khalil-ur-Rehman submitted the complaint on the behalf of Malik Riaz. “The complaint will be referred to the legal branch of the Islamabad Police to seek legal opinion as sections of the offences including extortion are not clear,” a top police officer told this correspondent on condition of anonymity.
The complaint contains information pertaining to Malik Riaz being blackmailed by three individuals. According to the complaint, the blackmailers are trying to destroy the reputation of Malik Riaz and Bahria Town.
It states that the blackmailers had already been paid once and were now seeking more money. The blackmailers received Rs50 million on June 28, 2013 and assured that there would be no further blackmailing. The complaint further stated that 15 days ago, Colonel (retd) Tariq Kamal issued another threat and asked for more amount.
Speaking to the media, Babar Awan said his client Malik Riaz had submitted documents and CCTV video from his office as evidence with the written complaint. Babar Awan said that it was now the responsibility of investigators, the judiciary, the media and national institutions to bring the truth to surface.
The complaint has been submitted under Section 154 CrPC for lodging an FIR against the persons named in getting extortion money through blackmailing, Awan said and added that the investigation should be conducted strictly on merit.
“This is the first episode of the series of corruption, extortion and ransom while others will be disclosed according to the circumstances,” Babar Awan said adding that this would be a test case showing commitment and seriousness of the institutions for eliminating such kind of corruption.
Meanwhile, a video released on the media on Wednesday showed Tariq Kamal assuring Malik Riaz by placing Quran in front of him and swearing after receiving the large amount. It was clearly seen and heard in the video in which Tariq Kamal said that it was his responsibility to withdraw cases which were filed against Bahria Town.
In the next clip, Tariq Kamal was being showed convincing Malik Riaz that the former would not receive any complaint either from court or lawyer. He was shown in the video saying that he could say in the suo moto action by the court that Bahria Town was not guilty in this case.