Washington beureu chief for British newspaper the Sunday Times, Christina Lamb. —Photo credit: Twitter (@christinalamb)

In messages sent out Sunday on social media website Twitter, British journalist Christina Lamb has denied having been contacted for a planned ‘expose’ on ‘Familygate’ — the case allegedly implicating the Pakistani chief justice’s son Dr Arsalan Iftikhar and real estate tycoon Malik Riaz of financial wrongdoing.

The Supreme Court has taken up the case earlier last week following media reports alleging Dr Arsalan Iftikhar had sought favours from Malik Riaz, one of Pakistan’s biggest business magnates. Some reports suggested that the Arsalan Iftikhar had been trapped in the financial scandal in a conspiracy to malign the chief justice.

In one of the reports, a senior journalist had alleged that Malik Riaz had approached the Sunday Times’ Washington bureau chief Christina Lamb for a planned disclosure on the scandal while the chief justice was due to receive the international Jurists’ Award earlier this month.

Earlier today, Lamb tweeted from her account:

@christinalamb: “have no idea how this started but can i clarify i am not planning a big expose on Familygate, have spoken to no one abt it”.

In another tweet, Lamb rubished claims that she had been approached for to “break the news”, clarifying that she had neither any knowledge of nor had spoken to anyone about the whole affair.

@christinalamb: “any purported quotes from me on CJ issue are made up, all i know is what i’ve read in the media and have spoken to no one!”

The chief justice’s son has been rumored to have received between Rs 300 to Rs 400 million from Riaz to influence the court in proceedings against the former Bahria Town chairman.

On Saturday, Arsalan Iftikhar recorded his statement in the apex court, denying having any links with the business tycoon. Meanwhile, an application by Riaz’s lawyer to constitute a larger bench to hear the case was turned down in an order later in the day.

Opinion

Editorial

Rigging claims
Updated 04 May, 2024

Rigging claims

The PTI’s allegations are not new; most elections in Pakistan have been controversial, and it is almost a given that results will be challenged by the losing side.
Gaza’s wasteland
04 May, 2024

Gaza’s wasteland

SINCE the start of hostilities on Oct 7, Israel has put in ceaseless efforts to depopulate Gaza, and make the Strip...
Housing scams
04 May, 2024

Housing scams

THE story of illegal housing schemes in Punjab is the story of greed, corruption and plunder. Major players in these...
Under siege
Updated 03 May, 2024

Under siege

Whether through direct censorship, withholding advertising, harassment or violence, the press in Pakistan navigates a hazardous terrain.
Meddlesome ways
03 May, 2024

Meddlesome ways

AFTER this week’s proceedings in the so-called ‘meddling case’, it appears that the majority of judges...
Mass transit mess
03 May, 2024

Mass transit mess

THAT Karachi — one of the world’s largest megacities — does not have a mass transit system worth the name is ...