Was blackmailed by PML-N for favorable verdict: Judge Arshad Malik

ISLAMABAD: Accountability Judge Arshad Malik in an affidavit submitted to the law claimed that he was blackmailed and offered bribes to favor Nawaz Sharif in the Al-Azizia Reference Case, ARY News reported on Friday.

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Judge Arshad Malik who has been under the scanner since the past few days in reference to the ‘video leak’ scandal against him, claiming that the judge announced a verdict against Nawaz Sharif under duress has claimed that he was under immense pressure to pardon Nawaz Sharif.

Arshad Malik in his written statement has claimed that he was blackmailed by the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) through and old video tape of him which had secretly been filmed in Multan 16 years ago, sources claimed.

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The tape was used to blackmail me over and over again and wanted favors for the accused PML-N supremo, read the affidavit.

Sources further revealed that the affidavit describes a meeting of the judge with the deposed Prime Minister at his residence to which he was taken to by two men.

Nawaz Sharif before being sentenced to jail in that meeting asked the judge to hold a dialogue with the two men who had brought him to the former three time Prime Minister’s residence, Jati Umra.

The judge also revealed in the affidavit that he was offered huge bribes and was also threatened with murder if he didn’t comply with the demands.

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Sources unveiled that the PML-N leadership offered him residence and settlement in a foreign country of his chosen if he gave a verdict to their liking.

The judge said that he was in a tremendous amount of pressure, his families life and his own was at stake.

Unearthing an incident from the times when the case was still in process and a verdict hadn’t been reached, the judge had gone to perform Umrah where people of the PML-N came and offered him bribes up to Rs 500 million if he let the PML-N leader go scot-free.

The sources continued further that the affidavit entails how the judge was still being blackmailed through some more videos and life threats and was being told to keep his mouth shut to save himself further embarrassment and humiliation.

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Judge Arshad Malik though has owned the videos that have been leaked by the PML-N leadership and has claimed that he gave those testimonies due to immense pressures of several kinds from the political party and it’s supporters.

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) earlier today decided to remove accountability court judge Arshad Malik from his post.

A spokesperson of the law ministry announced the decision of the judge’s removal in light of the ongoing ‘video leak’ controversy.

The Chief Justice of the Islamabad High Court in a letter has requested the Ministry of Law to remove Judge Arshad Malik from his duties till a decision on the controversy is revealed.