One-man commission seeks time in Dr Arsalan case
10 October, 2012
ISLAMABAD: The one-commission of Dr Shoaib Suddle moved the Supreme Court on Tuesday seeking further time to probe the alleged Rs 342 million business deal between Dr Arsalan Iftikhar and Malik Riaz Hussain. Earlier, accepting the review petition of the chief justice's son, the Supreme Court on August 30 had constituted a one-man commission comprising Dr Shoaib Suddle to investigate the case. According to the application, Malik Riaz has not appeared before the commission until now. Likewise, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and other departments concerned have not furnished the relevant record in this case. The commission also wants to nominate forensic experts to examine the relevant record. In view of these circumstances, the commission has requested the SC for more time to investigate the matter. Meanwhile, a magazine editor, Mohsin Baig, who is accused of contempt of court, has also moved an application before the commission, requesting to examine the matter related to SC the registrar in which an email was allegedly written by him (registrar) to seek tax returns and verification of receipts from British companies, which had provided services to Dr Arsalan Iftikhar. Giving mandate to the inquiry commission, the court has also ordered it to probe into the culpability of Malik Riaz, Dr Arsalan, Salman Ali Khan and all those who may be found involved in criminal activities in the light of its June 14 order, within a period of 30 days. Dr Suddle has also been tasked with inquiring into and ascertain such facts as may be relevant, connected with or ancillary to the determination of the foregoing matters and to set the state machinery in motion so that all those responsible are pursued and brought to book. "Specify the legal provisions and offences, if any, which may be attracted in the case based on the fact finding undertaken by the commission," the court added. About the commission's power, the court observed Dr Suddle would exercise all the powers envisioned in the Supreme Court Rules, 1980 and the powers of judicial officers for the purpose of carrying out the objectives and would be authorised to collect evidence within and outside Pakistan according to laws. The Supreme Court had also rejected business tycoon Malik Riaz Hussain's plea to issue a stay order against the one-man commission. Praying for a stay order, counsel for Malik Riaz, Zahid Bukhari, had said a stay should be issued over the commission's proceeding as the court had stopped the National Accountability Bureau's joint investigating team to probe the matter on the plea of Dr Arsalan. End.
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