Dr Arsalan submits initial statement in SC

ISLAMABAD: Dr Arsalan Iftikhar has submitted his initial statement in the Supreme Court of Pakistan (SC) in the alleged graft case and rejected all allegations leveled against him by the real estate tycoon and Bahria Town chief Malik Riaz, Geo News reported Saturday. In his five-page statement, Arsalan rejected all the accusations against him by the media and said that he did not meet with Malik Riaz’s son-in-law for any business deal. He said that everything was only publicized through media but not presented in the court. He said that he runs his own business and submits his income tax return regularly. Arsalan, in his statement, stated that he went on London tour in 2009 along with his family and stayed in a flat on his own expenses. Similarly, he again visited London in 2010 and 2011. It is pertinent to mention that the SC had taken a suo moto notice after reports circulated in the electronic and social media about Arsalan Iftikhar allegedly receiving crores of rupees from the Bahria Town management under different pretexts in order to influence the SC in favour of Bahria Town cases pending with the apex court. It was reported that Malik Riaz paid between Rs300-400 million to Dr Arsalan and also sponsored his foreign visits.