ISLAMABAD, Nov 14: The Dr Shoaib Suddle commission issued on Wednesday a contempt notice to property tycoon Malik Riaz for what it termed ‘derogatory’ remarks made by him against the commission.

He has been asked to appear before the commission on Nov 19.

Zahid Bokhari, the lawyer of Malik Riaz, said he had not seen the notice, adding that Dr Suddle had no powers to issue contempt notice to his client.

On Tuesday, Malik Riaz appeared before the commission in connection with the Arsalan Iftikhar graft case, but refused to accept any commission as legitimate because no such commission would provide him justice in the case.

Malik Riaz has claimed to have paid Arsalan Iftikhar, son of Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, Rs342 million to get his cases pending in the Supreme Court settled in his favour.

The contempt notice sent to the residence of Malik Riaz said: “The Federal Tax Ombudsman (FTO) under section 16 of the FTO Ordinance 2000 has the same powers, mutatis mutandis, as the Supreme Court and has to punish any person for its contempt who abuses, interferes with, impedes, imperils, or obstructs the process of the FTO in any way or disobeys any order of the FTO; scandalises the FTO or otherwise does anything which tends to bring the FTO, staff members, nominees of the office, or any person authorised by the FTO in relation to his office into hatred, ridicule or contempt; does anything which tends to prejudice the determination of a matter pending before the FTO; or does any other thing which, by any other law, constitutes contempt of court.”

The commission referred to a news item published in a national daily in which Malik Riaz had alleged that Shoaib Suddle was being given extension in service as Federal Tax Ombudsman under a ‘deal’.

“Your (Malik Riaz) allegation is tantamount to scandalising the Honourable Federal Tax Ombudsman; now therefore, you are required to file an affidavit explaining, inter alia, who has brokered the alleged deal and with what objective.

“You are also required to explain as to why contempt proceedings may not be initiated against you under Section 16 of the FTO Ordinance.

You are further required to appear in person before the Honourable FTO on 19-11-2012 at 11am after filing your written reply by 10am the same day,” the notice said.

Zahid Bokhari accused Dr Suddle of wearing the gown of Supreme Court judge when Malik Riaz appeared before him on Tuesday. “Only a judge and a registered lawyer can wear that gown,” he said.

But a source close to the commission said not only Dr Suddle but his predecessor used to wear the gown while hearing cases.