Tag: Arshad Malik

  • Key person in Judge Arshad Malik’s scandal speaks up

    Key person in Judge Arshad Malik’s scandal speaks up

    Mian Saleem Raza, a key character in the Judge Arshad Malik’s video sandal, has said that a senior official of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) met him in London in the first week of October 2019 asking him to make a false confessional statement against Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif or face financial ruin including being added in the “most wanted terrorists” list, reports The News.

    When the video scandal first came to light, it was alleged by Shahzad Akbar, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s former accountability minister, that it was Raza who had paid Rs.20 million to Mian Tariq to buy a secretly filmed private video of the accountability judge. Raza, however, rejected all allegations of blackmail against him made by the FIA and Shahzad Akbar.

    “I told him I cannot lie about Nawaz Sharif because he had no connection of any kind with Judge Arshad Malik’s video scandals. He threatened that I will meet a very horrible fate and that my whole family will suffer if I didn’t cooperate. He promised that I will pay a big financial price and will be added to the list of terrorists. Every threat he made was executed later on. When the FIA officer kept calling me, I switched off my phone as he was threatening me and causing me stress,” Raza narrated.

    “The same official (who followed me to London) had visited my house in Lahore in 2019 with two other FIA officials on July 7 and 8, after Maryam Nawaz Sharif’s press conference in Model Town with other PML-N leaders. The FIA officials told me they were prepared to organise a meeting with Shahzad Akbar if I agreed to become a witness against Nawaz Sharif,” shared Raza who has not returned to Pakistan since July 2019.

    Raza’s name was added to the “most wanted terrorists” list after one of the main accused Tariq told FIA on October 1, 2019, in an alleged confessional statement that he had sold out the immoral video of the former accountability court judge to Raza for Rs.20 million.

    Raza said that he told the FIA in Lahore that he had visited Nawaz Sharif in Kot Lakhpat jail several times but all meetings were held in the presence of others and the ex-premier never asked him for anything, never gave him any task and never discussed anything about his legal cases.

    “I told the FIA that Nawaz Sharif knew me only as his follower who loved him, visited him in jail and followed him everywhere. The FIA didn’t like this factual statement and asked me to lie and say that he (Nawaz Sharif) had asked me and arranged money to pay to Mian Tariq but I told them this was not true. They told me that I should lie and have a comfortable life or else they will make my life difficult. They were asking me why I met Nawaz Sharif so many times in jail. They were not interested in the truth so I decided to flee from Pakistan to save my life,” he added.

    “Judge Arshad Malik visited my home in Lahore’s Dharam Pura on July 1, 2019, on his own accord with Mian Tariq in his official car but without his security protocol. I didn’t know that Tariq will bring a judge to my house, I found it was Malik after he entered into my house.”

    “Judge Arshad Malik openly told people whom he met that he was regretful and felt guilty that he had convicted Nawaz Sharif. He told the same to me when I met him. He told me that Nawaz Sharif was an innocent man who was wronged to manipulate elections and deprive him of power. Malik told me and others he could not sleep at night after convicting Nawaz Sharif wrongly and felt so guilty in conscience that he wanted to do a press conference to tell the world how he was blackmailed to convict Nawaz Sharif.”

    “Arshad Malik asked to convey his apologies and regrets to Nawaz Sharif during my next visit to jail but I told him that Nawaz Sharif will not like such a thing and I told him that it was not my place to convey such messages as this will upset Nawaz Sharif. He was insisting but I told him I was not in a position to do that. I never passed any message to Nawaz Sharif or anyone in the Sharif family. I had no other role or dealing with him as I had no other means to guide him on what to do. I have no idea how he got introduced to Nasir Butt,” he stated.

    “After the video scandal broke out, Mian Tariq was tortured in custody by the FIA and treated like a terrorist to the extent that half of his body was paralysed. He was tortured until he agreed to make a false statement against me to save his life. He took back his statement against me as soon as he was out on bail and told me that he was tortured to make the confessional statement. He has become a living tragedy and Shahzad Akbar was the one who ordered his torture to make Imran Khan happy,” he added.

    “I had never met any of them before but the FIA and Shahzad Akbar lied that I conspired with them. I had no relation with any videos, payments or anything like that.”

    Raza has called on Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah to look into his case and hold an independent inquiry into the conduct of the FIA against him. “I request Rana Sanaullah and PM Shehbaz Sharif to look into my case and remove my name from the list of most wanted terrorists. I have not committed any crime. I want to visit my country and family as a free man and I need clearance. I have done nothing wrong by not lying about Nawaz Sharif,” he appealed.

    “The FIA didn’t spare my children even in school. I don’t blame the PTI government but I do want to ask Shahzad Akbar why he did this to me. What happened to me and other innocent people in this case is a crime against humanity. My family life and business are ruined just because I refused to lie and implicate Nawaz Sharif,” the former trader from Lahore said.

    Living in London ever since the video scandal, Raza said his own family and friends abandoned him after he got into difficulties and he was treated for depression and mental trauma in London. “I got courage after seeing what happened to Nawaz Sharif and how he had to pay a heavy personal and political price. I will request the government of Pakistan to look into my case and help me get justice,” he concluded.

  • ‘Who pressured you to sentence Nawaz Sharif and said that Khan needs to be in power?’: Maryam asks ex-CJP Nisar

    ‘Who pressured you to sentence Nawaz Sharif and said that Khan needs to be in power?’: Maryam asks ex-CJP Nisar

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Vice President Maryam Nawaz, in a heated press conference in Islamabad, called upon former Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Saqib Nisar and asked him to come forth and tell the nation the truth.

    “Come forth, tell the nation who pressurised you?” Maryam Nawaz

    “Whether today or tomorrow, you will have to tell the nation the truth. There is still time. Come forth, tell the nation who pressured you to sentence Nawaz Sharif if it was unwarranted? Who pressured you to sentence Maryam Nawaz, if it was without merit. And who told you that [Prime Minister (PM)] Imran Khan needs to be brought to power?”

    “If Nawaz didn’t deserve the punishment, then why did you play with the justice system? You were sitting in the highest forum and why could you not refuse orders to convict Nawaz Sharif?”

    Maryam also asked Nisar why he allowed himself to be “forced to take an unconstitutional and illegal [step]”.

    “You will have to answer all this,” said Maryam.

    “After the TV channel said that [Nisar’s] audio had been pieced together to create the clip, Nisar too stepped forth to agree. So the TV channel deserves thanks,” Maryam Nawaz

    Addressing the media coverage regarding the leaked audio, without naming the channel, Maryam said that earlier Nisar denied any connection with the clip and said that it is not him who can be heard in the audio.

    “After the TV channel said that his [Nisar’s] audio had been pieced together from two of his previous speeches to create the alleged audio, he [Nisar] too stepped forth to agree,” said Maryam, adding, “So the TV channel that led to his [Nisar’s] admission of his voice being part of the clip deserves some thanks.”

    Addressing the TV channel directly, Maryam questioned the choice of the channel to omit specific bits from the audio clip that are the “real crux of the matter”.

    She also added that those words are the “charge sheet against Saqib Nisar” and demanded to know which speech those bits are from then.

    “So the bits that you like are his voice and the parts that you do not, are not his voice?” she asked.

    “Audio clips and videos may be material, but Justice Siddiqui is very much alive, he must be inquired about his allegations,” Maryam Nawaz

    “Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui also made a startling statement, while [former accountability judge] Arshad Malik was punished for speaking the truth,” Maryam said, adding that although the two judges had been punished, “nobody dared to come forward to provide justice to Nawaz Sharif.”

    She demanded that the parties involved in the Justice Siddiqui scandal be summoned in court, made to stand in the witness box and a sworn testimony be taken from them.

    Maryam said that audio clips and videos may be material that one can be skeptical about “but Justice Siddiqui is very much alive and he must be inquired about his allegations”.

    “Fifth testimony in favour of Nawaz Sharif”: Maryam Nawaz

    “You (Nisar) will have to give its answer to the people. Leave the audio, leave [the former top] Gilgit-Baltistan judge’s affidavit, and the statements of former judges and FIA’s Bashir Memon. This is the fifth testimony in favour of Nawaz Sharif. Will the nation forget these testimonies? Can you deny that an elected prime minister (Nawaz Sharif) was removed from power unjustly?”

    She continued: “There is no proof against me and I was [sentenced to prison] for seven years. Now National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has no evidence to furnish in the IHC (Islamabad High Court).”

    She said it was “ridiculous” that Nisar was not saying anything in his defence, while government ministers were defending the ex-CJP “haphazardly”.

    “Imran Khan never called a meeting to discuss inflation, but after the audio leak he called a meeting,” Maryam Nawaz

    “[PM] Imran Khan never called a meeting to discuss inflation, but after the audio leak he called a meeting asking his party men to discuss the PML-N tenure in public,” she alleged, saying the ministers and the premier were actually saving themselves “because they know they will suffer badly once Saqib Nisar is proved guilty”.

    “Saqib Nisar get a forensic audit conducted, face the law and build a dam from the money he gets after winning the case,” Maryam Nawaz

    “I want Saqib Nisar to get a forensic audit conducted, face the law and build a dam from the money he gets after winning the case,” she said, calling upon the judiciary “not to bear the burden of someone whose truth is now out”.

    Stressing politicians’ responsibility to protect the prestige of the judiciary, the PML-N leader stated: “Judiciary is bigger than these individuals. We don’t want to take matters beyond a certain point [and] the judiciary should clear its name itself.”

    She then quoted former chief justice Asif Saeed Khosa as writing in the Panama Papers case judgment that “Behind every great fortune, there is a crime,” and said: “The crime and conspiracy that took place before the 2018 elections are also exposed before everyone now.”

  • ‘Do I look like a terrorist to you,’ Nadeem Malik responds to FIA

    ‘Do I look like a terrorist to you,’ Nadeem Malik responds to FIA

    The Counter-Terrorism Wing of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has summoned SAMAA TV’s senior anchorperson Nadeem Malik and asked him to disclose his sources in the Judge Arshad Malik video leak scandal case.

    Nadeem Malik has said that he will not appear. “The notice has been issued by the terrorism wing. Do I look like a terrorist to you?”

    The notice demands that Malik reveal his sources. “There is no law across the globe that can force a journalist to quote their sources,” the anchorperson said.

    On April 28, Nadeem Malik during his show ‘Nadeem Malik Live’ said that he had a chance to meet with two members of the FIA team that was investigating the video leak scandal against late accountability court judge Arshad Malik.

    “It could be perceived from what they [members of the FIA team] told me that there was a video of Judge Arshad Malik. The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) was banking on Judge Malik granting bail to Nawaz Sharif. He had contacts with the PML-N, so there were assurances,” the anchorperson said.

    “The other party, which I would not name, as many people can understand, they got their hands on that 30-year-old video of Judge Malik. It was an objectionable video that was recorded 30 years ago when Judge Malik was posted in Multan. There were other people too and the whole video is there.”

    According to the anchorperson, the late judge was called to a place at Constitution Avenue and was told that the video would be made public if a ‘favourable’ verdict was not given in cases against Nawaz Sharif.

    The judge gave the verdict and PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif was disqualified.

    “The PML-N got their hands on the same video and Judge Arshad Malik came to meet Nawaz Sharif and apologised, saying he couldn’t do anything as they had his video,” Nadeem Malik said.

    “They [PML-N leaders] told him that they have the same video too, and, while Judge Malik was narrating the events, he was recorded once again. It was recorded by Nasir Sahib who has gone to London.”

    The FIA is handling the case through its Counter-Terrorism Wing at its headquarters in Islamabad. It had told Nadeem Malik to appear on June 6, along with documents and evidence to support what he said on his show.

    “Please refer to your Nadeem Malik Live Programme on SAMAA NEWS dated 28-04-2021 revealed that you have important information which can be relevant for the agency to further investigate the above mentioned and to link some relevant persons with this case,” the notice says.

    Civil society and journalists condemned the notice.

  • Ex-general says establishment not responsible for deaths of Rizvi, two judges

    Ex-general says establishment not responsible for deaths of Rizvi, two judges

    Amid rumours that the military establishment has something to do with the deaths of radical cleric Khadim Hussain Rizvi, Peshawar High Court Chief Justice Waqar Seth, and accountability judge Arshad Malik, retired general Ghulam Mustafa said that the establishment doesn’t have anything to do with these deaths.

    In a video posted on YouTube, he said it was concerning that people were paying heed to the ideas that were detrimental to Pakistan.

    He said people should need to think before they go public with such ideas, urging the youth on social media not to go far in support of ideas for the sake of others. “This can come back to haunt you or your family,” the ex-general added.

    Rizvi died the previous month a day after the TLP protesters and government reached an agreement following a day-long sit-in at Faizabad. The TLP wanted the government to take action against France, such as the boycott of products and the expulsion of its envoy, over blasphemous cartoons. His death had led to speculation that it may not be due to natural causes.

    Last month, PHC CJ Waqar Seth also breathed his last due to COVID-19. The judge made headlines for his stern ruling wherein he said ex-general Pervez Musharraf must be hanged for subverting the constitution, and if he dies before his body should be hanged at D-Chowk for three days. The judge also struck down dozens of sentences awarded by the military courts on the basis of lack of evidence.

    And Arshad Malik, the judge who sentenced ex-prime minister Nawaz Sharif in Al-Azizia reference, too died this week due to COVID-19. Last year, PML-N VP Maryam Nawaz along with top party leadership, held a press conference, wherein she said that Malik was coerced to give a verdict against Nawaz. She played a purported video of Malik to back her claims. The judge was subsequently dismissed, though he contested the veracity of videos.

  • Judge, sacked over leaked video, challenges removal

    Judge, sacked over leaked video, challenges removal

    Former accountability court judge Arshad Malik on Saturday challenged his removal from service in the Lahore High Court (LHC).

    An administration committee of the high court approved in July “removal from service” of the now-former judge on charges of misconduct after a year-long inquiry into the video scandal that broke last July, sending ripples through political and legal circles.

    READ: LHC sacks controversial judge who convicted Nawaz Sharif

    Malik challenged his removal and contended that the rules and regulations for the dismissal were not met, the management committee had prepared a report contrary to the facts and that misconduct was not committed.

    He requested that the decision be reconsidered.

    Moreover, a three-member tribunal has been constituted to take up the dismissal of the former judge.

    READ: ‘Judge who convicted Nawaz to be removed from post’

    Justice Muhammad Tariq Abbasi has been appointed as the chairman of the tribunal whereas, Justice Masood Naqvi and Justice Sajid Sethi have been appointed as members.

    Following the approval of LHC Chief Justice Qasim Khan, a notification was issued to form a tribunal to hear the service appeals of the judges of the lower judiciary.

  • PIA likely to face losses over Rs100 billion amid bans, coronavirus

    PIA likely to face losses over Rs100 billion amid bans, coronavirus

    The Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) is expected to incur losses over Rs100 billion due to suspension of international flights amid the fake licences controversy and the coronavirus pandemic.

    As per details, the national carrier is expected to incur losses up to Rs100 billion due to ban on flight operations by the United Kingdom (UK), European Union (EU) and the United States (US). The target of revenue for the current year was set at Rs196 billion.

    Moreover, PIA would also suffer losses of up to Rs12 billion in terms of Hajj operations this year after the Saudi authorities decided to hold the annual pilgrimage on a limited scale, while the airline is also facing losses up to Rs9 billion due to closure of Umrah operations.

    It is pertinent to mention here that that on July 10, PIA Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Air Marshal Arshad Malik had apprised Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan regarding the status of ongoing dialogues with European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) for the resumption of flight operation. He had also given a briefing to the premier regarding the restructuring process of the national carrier.

    Malik had reportedly presented a comprehensive plan to PM Imran for turning PIA into a profitable national entity and the premier had directed the PIA CEO to expedite the reform process of the national flag carrier.

    He had also summoned the framework for reform agenda within seven days.

  • LHC sacks controversial judge who convicted Nawaz Sharif

    LHC sacks controversial judge who convicted Nawaz Sharif

    Lahore High Court (LHC) Chief Justice (CJ) Muhammad Qasim Khan on Friday dismissed controversial judge Arshad Malik from his post, Geo reported.

    According to reports, the decision was taken by the administration committee of the LHC, which was chaired by LHC CJ and attended by seven other senior judges, including justices Ameer Bhatti, Malik Shahzad Khan, Ayesha Malik, Shahid Waheed and Ali Baqar Najafi.

    The career of the accountability court judge, who had sentenced former prime minister (PM) Nawaz Sharif to seven years in prison in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills reference, went down the hill after Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) in 2019 released a video clip purportedly showing him admitting to a lack of evidence against the ousted former premier in the same case.

    READ: ‘Judge who convicted Nawaz to be removed from post’

    PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz had showed the video and read out its transcript at a press conference lasting more than an hour.

    PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif, former PM Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, and other senior party leaders had accompanied Maryam at the press conference at the time.

    The video purportedly showed the accountability court judge speaking to a PML-N worker named Nasir Butt and claiming that he was coerced to hand down the prison sentence against Nawaz despite there being no proof of corruption against the deposed premier.

    READ: ‘Maryam distances herself from NAB judge’s scandalous video’

    PML-N leadership has since been demanding that Nawaz’s sentence be nullified. The convicted ex-PM is already out of prison to seek medical treatment in London.

  • ‘Maryam distances herself from NAB judge’s scandalous video’

    The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has informed the Supreme Court (SC) that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Vice President (VP) Maryam Nawaz has “distanced herself” from the video scandal of ex-accountability court judge Arshad Malik, Express Tribune reported Thursday.

    Maryam on July 6 had presented to journalists a secretly recorded video of judge Arshad Malik and claimed that he was “forced to give the verdict against Nawaz Sharif in the Al-Azizia reference case”.

    According to latest reports, FIA presented before the court a 105-page report, wherein it said that Maryam has now distanced herself from the video and placed burden of the details and specifics of the video upon Nasir Mehmood Butt.

    Butt is the person who reportedly recorded the conversation during which Malik had allegedly confessed convicting Nawaz under pressure.

    The FIA report further said that PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif has also distanced himself from the videotapes.

    The Islamabad High Court (IHC) had on July 12 removed Malik as a judge and directed the registrar to repatriate him to his parent department, the Lahore High Court (LHC).

  • ‘Judge who convicted Nawaz to be removed from post’

    ‘Judge who convicted Nawaz to be removed from post’

    The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has decided to sack Accountability Court Judge Arshad Malik, who convicted former prime minister Nawaz Sharif in the Al-Azizia corruption reference, a private media outlet reported Friday. 

    Earlier, the judge had written a letter to the IHC, refuting Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Maryam Nawaz’s allegations and the leaked tapes that purportedly showed him admitting to sentencing Nawaz after being blackmailed.

    PML-N leadership last Saturday had released the tapes that allegedly showed Malik confessing in front of a party worker named Nasir Butt.

    In the tapes, the judge was heard claiming he was coerced to hand down the prison sentence against the former PM despite there being no proof of corruption against him.

    In a subsequent press release, Malik had denied the contents of the video and termed them as edited, fabricated and aimed to defame him. He, however, had admitted knowing the PML-N worker and his brother.

    Meanwhile, PML-N spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb has demanded that Nawaz’s sentence be nullified and the former premier be immediately released.