In a major blow to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) High Court on Tuesday disqualified Azad Kashmir Prime Minister Sardar Tanveer Ilyas for contempt of court.
The High Court’s decision came after Ilyas was summoned to the Supreme Court and High Court of Azad Jammu and Kashmir for using “threatening tone” in one of his speeches.
The court disqualified Ilyas from holding any public office and asked Azad Jammu and Kashmir’s Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Abdul Rashid Salharia to hold elections for the new prime minister.
Earlier, Prime Minister Ilyas appeared in the High Court where PTI members welcomed him.
A full bench headed by Justice Sadaqat Hussain Raja heard the case. Clips of the Prime Minister were played during the hearing.
Azad Jammu and Kashmir Prime Minister Ilyas while asking for unconditional apology from the court said that if any of my words hurt the judge, I apologize unconditionally.
The prime minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir was sentenced until the court rose.
A full bench of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir High Court today summoned Ilyas to a contempt notice for his speech at the rally.
A two-judge bench passed the order on the newspaper clipping citing the Prime Minister’s speech. The bench said that the decision was taken in a meeting of judges where the matter was discussed at length and all of them noted that the overall conduct of the Prime Minister was insulting.
The Registrar of the High Court was directed to issue a notice to the Prime Minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir through his Principal Secretary to appear in person in the court today and explain his stand. The registrar was also directed to take up the matter before a full bench.
A day ago, Ilyas had criticized the injunction issued by the courts and said that this process was affecting the government’s performance. He added that the injunction was a temporary order which should have been decided in days, but it was delayed for years.
Respecting court decisions important: Fawad
Senior Vice President of PTI Fawad Chaudhry said that it is important to respect the decisions of the court whether it is the Prime Minister of Pakistan or Azad Kashmir because the country cannot run by destroying the judicial system.
آزاد کشمیر کا وزیر اعظم ہو یا پاکستان کا، عدالتی فیصلوں کا احترام ضروری ہے، عدالتی نظام کو تباہ کر کے ملک نہیں چل سکتے، وزیر اعظم آزاد کشمیر عدالت سے معافی مانگیں امید ہے انھیں سپریم کورٹ سے ریلیف ملے گا، وزیر اعظم پاکستان اس فیصلے سے سبق حاصل کریں گے https://t.co/aT756iqvZ3
— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) April 11, 2023
“AJ Prime Minister should apologize to the court,” Fawad said, hoping the Supreme Court would grant him relief.
AJK Supreme Court hearing
After appearing in the High Court, Ilyas appeared before the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Supreme Court in a contempt of court case.
During the hearing, Chief Justice of Azad Jammu and Kashmir Raja Saeed Akram Khan asked him that this is your speech.
He reprimanded the PTI leader for his statements and said that it is the responsibility of Ilyas to support the courts.
The Chief Justice of AJK then asked why you did not come here when you had a problem with the judiciary.
He said the judiciary had shown “tolerance” against the criticism of the Prime Minister in the Assembly.
He then told the Prime Minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir that the positions given to those in power were “given only by Allah”.
“It is a special gift from God that you are in this position,” he said, taunting Ilyas that his statement was in direct contempt of court.
Stating that the case was very clear, Chief Justice AKJ said “no action is required”.
He concluded by saying that he was issuing a notice to the Prime Minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
He directed to give a written reply within two weeks.
