LAHORE: Real estate tycoon Malik Riaz has refused to appear before a commission, led by Federal Tax Ombudsman Dr Shoaib Suddle, in a case involving the Chief Justice’s son Arsalan Iftikhar case, Riaz’s counsel said Wednesday.

Speaking to media representatives at the Lahore High Court, Riaz’s counsel Zahid Bukhari said that his client would not appear before the commission until the Supreme Court decides on the review petition over the commission.

Bukhari further said that a review petition against the ‘Shoaib Suddle commission’ had been filed in the apex court which has yet to be decided upon.

He said that low ranking officers had been included in the commission which did not have the ability to investigate the matter and their impartiality was also doubtful.

“The commission had been informed in writing that he (Riaz) would not appear before it until the Supreme Court decides the review petition”, he said.

On August 30, Pakistan’s apex court had appointed a commission to investigate allegations of a Rs342 million business deal between Dr Arsalan and Malik Riaz. A petition filed by Riaz requests the court to recall its August 30 order.

The apex court had formed the commission after granting an appeal filed by Arsalan Iftikhar, son of Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry.

Malik Riaz submitted an appeal to the SC on Sept 11 to review the formation of the commission. Bukhari claimed that the ‘Shoaib Suddle commission’ was formed without his client’s consultation.

The court is expected to hear the review petition on October 2.