A three-member bench, headed by Chief Justice Asif Saeed Khan Khosa, heard the contempt case against the property tycoon. Malik Riaz in a press conference on 12-06-2012 levelled allegations against former Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry and some of them were generalised regarding the judiciary as a whole. The respondent filed the application in which he submitted an unconditional apology. Advocate Dr Abdul Basit, representing Malik Riaz. He requested the bench to accept the apology and discharge the charges.
Additional Attorney General Aamir Rehman, who was appointed prosecutor in the case, said that the apology seemed to be unconditional and remorseful. The court noted that the application clearly shows that he again seeks unconditional apology from the apex court and also begs for forgiveness and committed that such conduct will not be repeated in future. The Chief Justice said the conduct of seven years of the respondent shows that apology is sincere, which merits acceptance.
The counsel apprised that his client retracts from all the allegations, and holds the judiciary in highest esteem and he shall never malign the judiciary in any manner.
Dr Basit said that his client in pursuant of court's order has postponed his surgery and appeared before the bench.
The court noted that in the last seven years, a commission was also set up to inquire about the allegations but none of the parties produced anything against each other, while the commission report stated that no evidence was found.