CJP summons son, tycoon after graft reports

ISLAMABAD: After days of the capital being abuzz with rumours of a mega corruption scandal allegedly involving the son of Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, the CJ has taken suo moto notice of reports circulating in the media and summoned Arsalan Iftikhar Chaudhry, Bahria Town chief executive Malik Riaz, and attorney General Irfan Qadir.

The notice to Lahore-based Arsalan has been served through the IG Punjab and to Malik Riaz through IG Islamabad.

The court will take up the case in an open hearing today (Wednesday). The three-member bench hearing the case will be headed by the chief justice himself and also include Justice Jawwad S Khawaja and Justice Khilji Arif.

The electronic and social media have in the last few days been rife with reports about Arsalan Iftikhar allegedly receiving millions of rupees from the Bahria Town management under different pretexts in order to influence the Supreme Court in favour of Bahria Town cases pending with the SC.

There were also allegations that the Bahria Town management financed multiple foreign trips taken by Arsalan and the CJ’s family members and also paid for hotel and rented accommodation and cars. Additionally, there were reports of Arsalan receiving about Rs340 million in different heads from Malik Riaz.

Arsalan’s credibility does not match that of his father's. People do mention the son’s name in dubious matters. The credibility of the chief justice, however, has always remained unblemished.

When approached, Arsalan denied many of the allegations but confessed to some of them saying that this was his personal business dealing.

According to family sources, Malik Riaz is currently in Dubai.