ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court Registrar Office on Monday rejected the application filed by Arsalan Iftikhar, son of Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, for the registration of a case against property tycoon Malik Riaz, DawnNews reported.

The registrar office noted that a case pertaining to the issue was being heard in the court and said that the application should be placed before the bench hearing it.

Earlier today, Arsalan had filed a plea in the Supreme Court for the registration of a case against Riaz.

He had requested the court to direct authorities to register an FIR against Riaz for carrying out a propaganda campaign against him.

The application stated that Riaz had in the past shunned from fulfilling his legal responsibilities.

It said despite being summoned, Riaz had failed to appear in court and had willfully flouted the orders of the apex court.

The plea moreover said that if Riaz had any evidence against Arsalan, then that evidence should be submitted by the Bahria Town administration. In case the evidence is not submitted, action should be taken and offices of Bahria Town should be sealed, it said.

It further said that four television anchors had stated that Riaz had video footage of Arsalan's family which was a very serious matter and should be thoroughly investigated.

The petition said that such material should be produced in court instead of being released on the internet.

Arsalan moreover requested that he be provided security as he was no longer living at his family residence.

Zahid Bokhari on Arsalan’s plea

Speaking to media representatives on the premises of the Supreme Court, Riaz’s counsel, Zahid Bokhari termed Iftikhar’s plea seeking Riaz’s arrest a conspiracy to stop him from coming back, vowing that his client would return to Pakistan even if there were 10 cases against him.

He said that Riaz was likely to come to Pakistan by tonight against his doctor’s recommendation, adding that Riaz was bringing back evidence with him.

The case 

The Supreme Court has been hearing a suo motu notice on allegations that Arsalan had been doled out Rs300 to 400 million by Riaz.

Earlier on Saturday, Arsalan submitted a brief statement in the apex court dubbing the allegations against him as frivolous and unfounded.

He refuted any relationship, intimacy or acquaintance whatsoever with Riaz, his daughter or son-in-law and said he had never met them in relation to any business deal or for any purpose in or outside Pakistan.

He said baseless, frivolous and unfounded allegations had been spread in the media in the absence of any cogent and logical evidence acceptable under the law of evidence.