Former AJK PM Niazi calls on Imran Khan

MUZAFFARABAD _(Shoaib Mehmood) The Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) High Court on Tuesday 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 the verdict in a contempt notice taken after he criticised the stay orders issued by the court at a public meeting. Earlier in the day, the premier appeared before the court and tendered his unconditional apology over using contemptuous remarks against the judiciary.

However, the bench turned down his apology and disqualified him as AJK prime minister and revoked his membership of the AJK assembly. He is the first AJK prime minister to have been sent packing by court.

A day earlier, a notice was issued to Mr Khan, who is also a leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), through his principal secretary to seek his explanation.

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

In the notice, the high court said: “Prime Minister Tanveer Ilyas has directly threatened the superior judiciary and the language of his speech at a public meeting is highly derogatory, improper and indecently worded.” Not only the latest statement, but his “previous track record from several months is [also] objectionable, unbecoming and improper,” it added.

The order said the judges’ council of the high court had unanimously decided not to leave the matter unattended “simply by shutting [its] eye from contemptuous and derogatory statement of the person who is at the helm of affairs.”

Meanwhile, PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry said it was binding on everyone to respect the judiciary. Whether it’s the prime minister of Pakistan or AJK, respecting the decision of courts was necessary. The country could not be run by destroying the judicial system, he said. He asked Mr Ilyas to apologise and expressed hope that he would be given relief by the SC.

Meanwhile.

Imran Khan called on former Prime Minister (PM) Abdul Qayyum Niazi to elect him as the new PM of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).

AJK’s former PM Abdul Qayyum Niazi arrived at Zaman Park to meet Imran Khan who issued important instructions to him during the session.

Important Kashmiri leaders including MLA Ghulam Mohayyuddin Dewan were also present in the meeting held at Zaman Park.

Moreover, important consultations were made on the selection of the new Prime Minister of Azad Kashmir.