MUZAFFARABAD: Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) High Court (HC) disqualified Azad Jammu and Kashmir Prime Minister Tanveer Ilyas Khan from holding any public office after he was found guilty of contempt of court. A full bench announced verdict in contempt notice taken after he criticised stay orders issued by court at public meeting. Earlier in day, premier appeared before court and tendered his unconditional apology over using contemptuous remarks against judiciary.

However, bench turned down his apology and disqualified him as AJK Prime Minister and revoked his membership of AJK Assembly. He is first AJK Prime Minister to have been sent packing by court. A day earlier, notice was issued to Khan, who is also leader of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf through his principal secretary to seek his explanation.

Sardar Tanveer Ilyas day earlier had criticised stay orders issue by courts and said practice was affecting performance of government. Stay orders were temporary orders that must be decided within days but they lingered for years, he added.

In notice, high court said, “Prime Minister Tanveer Ilyas has directly threatened superior judiciary and language of his speech at public meeting is highly derogatory, improper and indecently worded.” Not only latest statement, but his “Previous track record from several months is [also] objectionable, unbecoming and improper,” it added.  Order said judges’ council of High Court had unanimously decided not to leave matter unattended “Simply by shutting [its] eye from contemptuous and derogatory statement of person who is at helm of affairs.”  Meanwhile, PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry said it was binding on everyone to respect judiciary.

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

Whether it’s Prime Minister of Pakistan or AJK, respecting decision of courts was necessary. Ccountry could not be run by destroying judicial system, he said. He asked Mr Ilyas to apologise and expressed hope that he would be given relief by SC. PTI leader said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif should learn lesson from court’s decision.

Published in The Daily National Courier, April, 12 2023

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