Pakistan Bar Council urges NAB to take Arslan Iftikhar case to its logical end   

ISLAMABAD: In an attempt to ensure across-the-board accountability, Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) has urged the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to take the longstanding Arslan Iftikhar case to its logical end, ARY News reported.

In a letter to National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Chairman Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal, PBC Vice-chairman Syed Amjad Shah demanded early conclusion of its investigations in Arslan Iftikhar case.

He said that the Supreme Court had referred the former chief justice Iftikhar Chaudhry son’s case to anti-graft watchdog but no progress was witnessed so far in the case.

PBC vice-chairman said that for ensuring impartial, across the board accountability and elimination of corruption, it was imperative that the corruption case against former chief justice’s son should be investigated and dealt with as per law without any delay.

In response to Pakistan Bar Council’s (PBC) letter, a NAB spokesperson clarified that the apex court had announced its verdict in Arslan Iftikhar case in 2012 but later a review petition was filed against the decision and the verdicts copy was received to the watchdog in July 2019.

He assured that NAB would take action in Arslan Iftikhar case according to the law and added that the watchdog will obey SC’s orders in letter and spirit. The spokesperson said, “NAB respects Pakistan Bar Council”

In 2012, business tycoon Malik Riaz, in a written statement submitted in the Supreme Court, had stated that he had spent a total amount of Rs342.5 million on Dr Arsalan Iftikhar.

Riaz had alleged in the statement that Iftikhar had promised that he would help settle cases in his father’s court and added that he had not fulfilled his promises.

The business tycoon had said that he had paid for the two trips of Iftikhar which had made to London. Riaz had further said that he had also rented out a Range Rover for Iftikhar during his stayed in London.