ISLAMABAD: Real estate tycoon Malik Riaz has accused Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry of holding secret meetings in the darkness of nights with him in the presence of Arsalan Iftikhar.
Addressing a press conference on Tuesday, Malik Riaz, holding a pocket Holy Quran in one hand, questioned Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry before the media. “I have come here with the Holy Quran, just like the chief justice did. I have three questions for the chief justice.” As his first question, Riaz asked the chief justice to tell the nation how many times they have met during the night, and if his son Dr Arsalan Iftikhar did not know him. “Was he not there in the meetings?” He further questioned the chief justice to tell how many times the prime minister and the CJ met at his partner Ahmed Khalil’s residence.
“Place this Holy Quran in front of you and tell the people: for how long have you not known about this? Why did you not take a suo motu then? Why did you take a suo motu only when the media broke the news?” “How many meetings he held with me in darkness of nights in the presence Arsalan, didn’t Arsalan know me and how many meetings CJ held with Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani in the darkness of night.” He said, “He (CJ) should swear when he came to know about Arsalan’s wrongdoings and why he didn’t take suo motu action”.
Malik Riaz said a sitting judge of the Supreme Court also used to participate in the meetings. He said the a joint friend of his and CJ informed the latter about the blackmailing of his son but he (CJ) denied them saying, Malik Riaz is a blackmailer.” Riaz said the CJ should not have take up case against him, adding that the FIA was ordered to implicate him (Riaz) in a murder case. “I have put my business at stake but now I will not tolerate all this,” he said. Holding up the Holy Quran, he said no third party was behind the episode. “Blackmailers were sent after me. Where should I go? Why was I pushed against the wall?” Riaz questioned.
Riaz said that despite being blackmailed, he continued to bear the trouble to avoid destroying his credibility and his career. “I cannot see this country collapsing. I have helped built it.” He further claimed that there is no free judiciary in the country and it is being run by a ‘don’. “Arsalan Iftikhar is the don. But I still respect the chief justice.” “Even today I respect the chief justice. Even today, I have submitted my reply in written to the court and I stand by my statement,” Riaz said, adding that he even wrote a book in 2007 in favor of the chief justice during Musharraf’s tenure. “I also offered him my bullet-proof vehicle”. “Call me for contempt or send me to jail. I’m ready to die. I’m not afraid of the jails,” Riaz said, while promising that he will disclose more facts in “due time”.-Onlinenews
