Pak CJ son case: SC seeks tycoon's news conference record

Pakistan's Supreme Court on Wednesday took notice of allegations levelled against Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry by a real estate tycoon at the centre of a corruption scandal involving the top judge's son and sought a record of the businessman's news conference.

Malik Riaz Hussain, the founder of the Bahria Town real estate firm, had alleged at the news conference on Tuesday that the chief justice was aware of the scam involving his son for six months but took no action. He further alleged that the chief justice's son, Arsalan Iftikhar, was running the judiciary like a "don".

All the judges of the apex court gathered in the chief justice's chamber on Wednesday morning to discuss the tycoon's allegations. Subsequently, Registrar Faqir Hussain was directed to obtain the record of the news conference.

The hearing of cases in the apex court began an hour behind schedule due to the meeting of the judges.

Television news channels quoted their sources as saying that the judges had discussed the allegations levelled against the Pakistan SC and the chief justice by the tycoon.

A meeting of all the judges of the SC is scheduled to be held on June 15 to discuss the issue involving the chief justice's son and other matters, officials said.

Hussain addressed the news conference after appearing in the SC in connection with a suo moto case regarding payments allegedly made to the chief justice's son to influence cases involving Bahria Town.

During the news conference, Hussain contended that he had not paid any bribes but was "blackmailed" into making payments to the chief justice's son.

During his appearance in court, Hussain submitted a statement that said his relatives had made payments totaling Rs 342.5 million to the chief justice's son.

The chief justice initiated the suo moto proceedings against his son last week but subsequently recused himself from the case following criticism from legal experts and political parties.

The case is currently being heard by a two-judge bench comprising Justices Jawwad Khwaja and Khilji Arif Hussain. The next hearing of the case is scheduled for tomorrow.

The issue of the chief justice's son has shaken Pakistan's political arena at a time when the top judge had cracked down on corruption within the federal government and excesses by the armed forces, including enforced disappearances.