ISLAMABAD – Dr Arsalan Iftikhar Chaudhry and the other two persons, summoned by the joint investigation team (JIT) in connection with the Arsalan-Riaz graft case, did not turn up for recording their statements, while listing different reasons.

The JIT headed by NAB Financial Crime Investigation Wing DG has once again issued notice to Arsalan Iftikhar under section 19 of National Accountability Ordinance (NAO) to appear before the team on 26 for recording of his statement. Meanwhile, the counsel for Arsalan said they had not received any summon notice from the JIT and his client would appear before the committee, as and when they would receive the summon notice.
Meanwhile, Arsalan told a private TV channel said he had already expressed his no-trust on the JIT, constituted under the supervision of NAB, adding that he would express his reservations when he would appear before the committee. The chief justice’s son further said he had already challenged the legality of the JIT in the High Court and he would move all appropriate forums to halt the inquiry by the partisan body and stressed the need of holding of inquiry into the matter by some independent investigators.
Meanwhile, the JIT has also issued notice to the registrar of Supreme Court of Pakistan, Dr Faqir Hussain, to appear before it for recording of his statement on July 25. Salman Ahmed, son-in-law of Malik Riaz Hussain, was also summoned for July 23 but he did not turn up. According to the fax message sent from the UK he had informed the committee that he was receiving life threats so it was not possible for him to travel to Pakistan to join the investigation. He, however, agreed to record his statement abroad in a country mutually convenient to him and the Joint Investigation Team (JIT)
Ahmed Khalil, another character of the case, is also summoned by the committee for recording of his statement, but he also expressed his inability to appear before the team as he was undergoing medical treatment in a hospital in Germany.