ISLAMABAD: Accountability Court Judge Arshad Malik who is in his court’s chamber at the moment has, by means of a Press Released (typed in Urdu) rejected PML-N allegations that he gave verdict under pressure.
Stating that the clip shown at PML-N Presser was forged and was an attempt to malign him and his family Accountability Court Judge Arshad Malik held: “This press conference was held merely to make my decisions controversial/disputable and to gain political advantages…The videos shown during the Press Conference are fake and based on lies and assumptions. Therefore, legal action should be taken against those individuals involved in this.”
Yesterday (on 6th of July 2019) Vice President of PML-N Maryam Nawaz at a Presser claimed that the Accountability Judge Arshad Malik had been blackmailed to give verdict against her father Nawaz Sharif in Al-Azizia reference.
Commenting on the video, Arshad Malik said that serious allegations were made against him and it was conspiracy to affect his credibility as well as that of his institution and his family and therefore he wanted to present the facts: “I am a resident of Rawalpindi where before becoming a judge, I worked as a lawyer. The individual shown in the video, Nasir Butt, is also from the same city and is an old acquaintance. Nasir Butt and his brother Abdullah Butt have met me many times at numerous instances.
“The video shown in Maryam Safdar sahiba’s press conference is not only contrary to the facts but it is also a despicable attempt to mesh together various instances and topics spoken about, and to present them out of context. Had I announced the verdict under pressure or over greed of bribes, I would not have acquitted him in one case and convicted him in the other.”
Maintaining that the objective of the Press Conference was to put pressure on the court of law, Accountability Judge Arshad Malik stated that the truth was contrary to what was claimed. Arshad Malik said that though he was warned of severe consequences he gave verdicts according to law: “…during the hearing of the cases against Nawaz Sharif and his family, I was repeatedly offered bribes by their representatives and also given threats of serious consequences if I did not cooperate…I decided to stay committed to the truth and left my life and wealth in the hands of Allah. Had I announced the verdict under pressure or over greed of bribes, I would not have acquitted him in one case and convicted him in the other.
“While dispensing justice, I announced conviction of Nawaz Shairf on the basis of evidence in the Al-Azizia case and acquitted him in the Flagship case…I also want to make it clear that indirectly or directly, neither was there any pressure on me nor was there any greed…I made these decisions knowing Allah is omnipresent and on the basis of the law and the facts.”
It is pertinent to mention here that on 4th of December, 2018 he had acquitted Nawaz Sharif in Flag Staff Investments Case maintaining that there was no case against Nawaz while convicted him in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills corruption reference. Accountability Court Judge Arshad Malik had handed Nawaz Sharif seven years of jail, fined Rs. 1.5 billion and US$ 25 million and barred him from holding any public office for a decade.
Relevant pieces published earlier:
