ISLAMABAD - The Supreme Court on Wednesday expressed its surprise over National Accountability Bureau (NAB) move to summon Registrar of the apex court in a controversy among Dr Arsalan, Malik Riaz and his son-in-law Salman Khan.
Justice Jawwad S Khawaja heading a two-member bench, which heard Bahria Town related cases, observed that since the matter is among three persons then why SC Registrar Dr Faqir Hussain is summoned by NAB. Sardar Ishaq, the counsel for Arsalan Iftikhar, son of chief justice, said that it was part of the propaganda campaign of Malik Riaz to malign the apex court.
Zahid Bokhari, the counsel for Malik Riaz, told the court that it should not be considered a controversy between Malik Riaz and Supreme Court but it was a matter between Riaz and Arsalan.
The court remarked that it will look into this matter as Registrar’s issue was related to this court and asked Arsalan’s lawyer to confine himself to his case.
Arsalan earlier filed a petition seeking a review of court’s June 14 order in the suo moto notice of allegations against him.
Sardar Ishaq read out his review petition before the court and he also read out attorney general’s letter and said that he actually misinterpreted the Supreme Court’s order and started interference in the independent investigation of an independent apex accountability body, NAB.
He pointed out that attorney general also sought fortnightly report and also settled mode of investigation that shows his biasness.
The court also expressed its concern over language of Zahid Bokhari that he used for judges. In his statement attorney general said that all judges of the country are working independently under the supervision of chief justice.
Expressing mistrust in the Attorney General Irfan Qadir, Sardar Ishaq asked the court except NAB, FIA or Islamabad Police are working under the influence of Malik Riaz or Rehman Malik.
On June 14, the bench had asked Qadir to investigate the case revolving around allegations of a business deal between property tycoon Malik Riaz and Arsalan Iftikhar. Qadir had written a letter to the NAB chairman asking Chairman NAB to conduct an investigation into the case referring the court orders in this regard.
Sardar Ishaq told the court that NAB chairman was reluctant to probe the issue, claiming that the matter did not come under NAB’s ambit. Later, on the attorney general’s order, a joint investigation team was constituted for an investigation.
“In response to this move, I wrote a letter to the NAB chairman warning him not to become a puppet in the matter but he did not reply my letter and held a press conference and criticized the contents of the letter,” Sardar Ishaq informed the court. He said the JIT is due to go UK to record statement of Salman Khan.
Zahid Bukhari, the counsel for Malik Riaz, objected over court’s hearing, saying why in later hour this case was being heard.
He also claimed that media persons and lawyers were also not happy with court’s long hour hearings.
However, the lawyers and journalist stood up from their seats and rebutted Bokhari’s claim.
Arsalan telling Irfan Qadir’s profile and history of his cases announced by the Supreme Court against his illegal appointments and alleges that Qadir is biased due to his rivalry with his father, the chief justice.
The petitioner alleged that there is no provision in the NAB Ordinance under which NAB authorities can take action and there is no single provision that would authorise the NAB chairman to constitute and select members of such a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) on the direction of attorney general. On the request of Zahid Bokhari, the court adjourned the case till tomorrow (Thursday).