Thaindian News

Islamabad, June 15 (IANS) Pakistan’s Supreme Court has ordered strict action in a bribery case involving Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudry’s son and a real estate tycoon.

Wrapping up the case, a two-member bench ordered Attorney General Irfan Qadir to take strict action against the chief justice’s son Arsalan Iftikhar, real estate tycoon Malik Riaz and the latter’s son-in-law Salman Ali Khan, Dawn reported.

Justice Jawad S. Khawaja read out the short order after Thursday’s proceedings.

“It is our expectation that he (the Attorney General) will set the machinery of the tate in motion so that all those who may have committed any illegal acts, including Malik Riaz Hussain, Dr. Arsalan, Salman Ali Khan etc are pursued and brought to book with the full force and rigour of the law,” the 14-page order read.

Not only was the Pakistan Supreme Court’s credibility questioned, the bench said, but allegations were also levelled against the chief justice and the judiciary.

It added that bribery is a sin, and both givers and takers of bribes were sinners.

On Tuesday, Riaz had detailed before the court the alleged payments he made to Arsalan Iftikhar over the past three years, including for his foreign visits, stay at high-end hotels in London and Monte Carlo, and picking up his gambling losses.

About the reasons for taking the suo motu notice of the case, the Bench stated that such a notice was necessary to counter the erroneous perception about the Supreme Court being created due to media reports.

The court ruled that Riaz attempted to “buy justice” through bribery, and that he had grown into a habit of buying everything with money. He fuelled scepticism and raised doubts on the apex court’s credibility.