ISLAMABAD - A higher authority from Presidency influenced Federal Ministry of Interior in mid of October not to place names of Riaz Malik and Dr Arsalan Iftikhar on the ECL following directives of Supreme Court appointed ‘ Suddle Commission’, well placed sourced told TheNation on Thursday.
“FIA was in process to place names of property tycoon Malik Riaz and Dr Arsalan Iftikhar on the ECL following directions from Suddle Commission. However, an influential authority from Presidency used his influence to keep authorities away from doing so,” a well-informed official source told TheNation.
It is important to mention here that the Suddle Commission had requested the Interior Ministry in October for placing the names of Arsalan and Riaz on ECL. However, the ministry never entertained the request.
“It is true that the Interior Ministry had received a letter from the (Suddle) commission, making a request for placing names of Arsalan and Malik on the ECL. However, we are still processing it,” a ministry official said on condition of anonymity.
He refused to reveal further details on the issue.
The sources said that the Suddle Commission chairman was annoyed over the Interior Ministry‘s non cooperation and once again wrote to concerned authorities to place the property tycoon and Dr Suddle on ECL.
The commission has sent a letter to the Interior Ministry this week asking authorities to explain to the commission the reasons behind non-compliance with the commission’s orders.
Using its judicial power, the commission has summoned Malik Riaz in person on November 19 to explain his position and provide evidence of the charges he had leveled against Suddle.
After appearing before the commission on Tuesday, Riaz, besides expressing no-trust in the commission, accused that Suddle was taking sides with Arsalan to get an extension in his service.