LAHORE, June 16: Zahid Bokhari, the counsel for property tycoon Malik Riaz, said on Saturday his client had not given money, plots or air tickets to any media person.

Talking to reporters at the Lahore registry of Supreme Court, he read out a statement of Mr Riaz denying allegations of distributing money among journalists and circulating on social media a list containing the names of alleged beneficiaries.

When asked about allegations levelled by his client against the Chief Justice of Pakistan, Mr Bokhari said he had no concern with the utterances of Malik Riaz as he was his counsel for court proceedings only.

The statement read out by him further said: “The allegations are anonymous which prove that their aim is to defame the journalists in particular and the media in general.”

It said these were the dirty tricks of a political party which was out to defame the media and other political parties.

“The allegations are printed on a Bahria Town letterhead which could have been stolen from any of the hundreds of its offices across the country. This is a false document,” it added.

Mr Bokhari said the apex court had not given a clean-chit to anyone which showed that there was some material that needed to be investigated.

Opinion

Budgeting without people

Budgeting without people

Even though the economy is a critical issue, discussions about it involve a select few who are not really interested in communicating with the people.

Editorial

Iranian tragedy
Updated 21 May, 2024

Iranian tragedy

Due to Iran’s regional and geopolitical influence, the world will be watching the power transition carefully.
Circular debt woes
21 May, 2024

Circular debt woes

THE alleged corruption and ineptitude of the country’s power bureaucracy is proving very costly. New official data...
Reproductive health
21 May, 2024

Reproductive health

IT is naïve to imagine that reproductive healthcare counts in Pakistan, where women from low-income groups and ...
Wheat price crash
Updated 20 May, 2024

Wheat price crash

What the government has done to Punjab’s smallholder wheat growers by staying out of the market amid crashing prices is deplorable.
Afghan corruption
20 May, 2024

Afghan corruption

AMONGST the reasons that the Afghan Taliban marched into Kabul in August 2021 without any resistance to speak of ...
Volleyball triumph
20 May, 2024

Volleyball triumph

IN the last week, while Pakistan’s cricket team savoured a come-from-behind T20 series victory against Ireland,...