PTI AJK chapter don’t want confrontation with judiciary rather justice for Tanveer Illyas: Dr Irfan

Islamabad(PR)Former Spokesperson, ex-prime minister Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Dr Irfan Ashraf on Saturday said the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) AJK chapter did not want any confrontation with the judiciary rather demand justice for Sardar Tanveer Illyas who had been deposed in a dramatically unconstitutional move.

Addressing a news conference flanked by former Special Assistant to the Prime Minister AJK, Sardar Imtiaz Shaheen, Dr Irfan Ashraf briefed the media on the prevailing situation in the liberated valley and sentiments of the Kashmiris on the decision against Sardar Tanveer Illyas.

Dr Irfan Ashraf said the PTI AJK leadership and especially people of Kashmir were truly patriots and respected the institutions in true letter and spirit.
He added that none of the Kashmiris could even think of disrespecting the institutions.
The Kashmiri diaspora, and local Kashmiri community across Pakistan have been aggrieved from the Apex court of AJK decision that not only deposed the former premier but also disqualified him, he added.
Pakistan and Kashmir had a sacred relationship of ideology and were of a very sensitive nature, he said. “We are appealing to our people and the public at large to their sentiments calculated and within the limits and avoid taking any serious steps as we want to present our views in a calculated manner,” he added.
Referring to the context of Sardar Tanveer Illyas’ brief tenure, he said there was no vision and infrastructure development in the AJK.

Sardar Tanveer had focussed augmenting institutional capacity of all state departments, held local government elections in three phases that were not held for past 32 years despite many challenges of funds, security and opposition’s resistance and gave ward level representation to the common masses, expedited construction work of Mirpir Dry port that was near completion, Sardar Tanveer Illyas first time as prime minister celebrated Eid with Kashmiri migrants, built a bridge to improve their connectivity, doubled their guzara allowance and scholarships for their children, he added.

Dr Irfan underlined that the women sector was ignored by the previous regimes whereas Sardar Tanveer laid the foundation of the home-based women industry.
Moreover, the AJK Youth Skill Development project and Rs 15 billion worth infrastructure projects were initiated by him and he also focussed on many neglected schemes of the previous governments, he added.
“Sardar Tanveer Illyas has been a symbol of Pakistaniat in AJK who had played a key role in strengthening Pakistan-Kashmir relationship. Sardar Tanveer belongs to Poonch and the people have our area had great sacrifices for Islam and Pakistan.”

He said his party and leadership believed in the supremacy of law and the constitution and could not even think of dishonoring any institution of AJK.
This decision of the AJK supreme court was casting negative impacts on the minds of the Kashmiris and the quarters concerned were requested to take note of the situation, he added.
He requested the AJK Election Commission to take cognisance of the ground realities and avoid taking haphazard decisions as it had been issuing schedule for the elections in the liberated valley.

The youth of Kashmir, he said on its personal initiative had planned to launch state wide and across Pakistan protests to support Sardar Tanveer Illyas whereas his party would not announce any sucn thing and would engage them to abstain from any such measure.
“Many senior legal experts had termed the AJK Supreme Court decision against Sardar Tanveer Illyas as unconstitutional and illegal whereas many leading media houses of Pakistan had also debated on the matter and raised questions on the decision.”

Former SAPM AJK, Sardar Imtiaz Shaheen said the AJK Supreme Court decision was questioned by the Kashmiris in AJK, Pakistan and abroad whereas the former Chief Justice of AJK also raised his concerns on the decision.
He alleged that the former AJK Prime Minister statement was misinterpreted to accuse him of contempt of court.
He said no Kashmiri could ever consider to commit contempt of court as their ancestors had rendered huge sacrifices to achieve the liberation of Kashmir and establishment of these institutions.
He added that the PTI has only three seats in AJK that increased to 32 after Sardar Tanveer Illyas took over the party which was a heavy mandate.
He accused a leading newspaper of AJK for manipulating the statement of Sardar Tanveer Illyas to get him convicted of contempt of court. Sardar Imtiaz Shaheen demanded that the reported newspaper should also be held accountable and indicted with contempt of court.
He said it was the first time in the history of AJK that any US Ambassador visited the residence of the AJK Prime Minister and three times mentioned the word AJK in his comments. It also irked the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he added.