ISLAMABAD - The Supreme Court has redirected the attorney general to submit a copy of the letter sent to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to launch a probe into the Arsalan-Riaz affair.
Hearing the Dr Arsalan Iftikhar’s review petition case Tuesday, Attorney General Irfan Qadir and NAB Prosecutor General were directed to submit their statements regarding the petition.
A two-member SC bench, comprising Justice Jawwad S Khawaja and Justice Khilji Arif Hussain, heard the petition, filed by the Arsalan’s counsel Sardar Ishaq against the court’s June 14 order.
Ishaq made a request to the court for directing NAB to stop any proceedings until the court's decision on the review petition. He told the bench that attorney general held a grudge against the chief justice and he was biased against his client and it was evident from his letter he wrote to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) chairman.
He said despite Arsalan's concern, NAB did not stop inquiry and a campaign was underway to malign the chief justice's family.
However, Justice Khawaja said: “We were criticised on the night between June 5 and 6 but Allah Almighty is the authority to decide on honour and disgrace.” He said the judges are being defamed every day but he will not let anybody defame the chief justice.
The court associate told the bench that Deputy Attorney General Shafi Chandio was directed on the previous hearing to submit a copy of the letter the AGP sent to NAB for investigation. Expressing his dismay, Justice Jawwad S Khawaja re-directed the AGP to submit the letter to the branch concerned.
During the hearing, the counsel for Dr Arslan Iftikhar alleged that the AGP has misinterpreted the court order.
Submitting the concise statement in the case, Zahid Bukhari, counsel for Riaz pleaded that the review petition was not maintainable. The bench adjourned hearing of the case for today (July 25).