MUZAFFARABAD: Sardar Tanveer Ilyas, prime minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, was disqualified from regional parliament after being found guilty of “insulting” judges in public remarks, officials said.
This decision on Tuesday came after Ilyas, a member of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), was served separate notices by the supreme and high courts on Monday, regarding his apparently derogatory remarks about the judiciary in his speeches.
The notices required Ilyas, an outspoken business tycoon known for outbursts against judges and bureaucrats, to appear before both the high and the Supreme Court on Tuesday to explain his position.
Ilyas had indirectly accused the judiciary of hindering the functioning of his government and interfering in the executive’s domain through the grant of stay orders during a function in Islamabad over the weekend.
He specifically mentioned a $15 million Saudi-funded education project that had been put on hold due to a court-issued stay order, as well as the de-sealing of tobacco factories involved in tax evasion worth billions of rupees.
The High Court of Azad Jammu and Kashmir issued a notice of contempt to the prime minister after a meeting of the judges’ council, where it was unanimously decided that he had threatened the judiciary in his public address, and that his conduct was objectionable and unbecoming.
Ilyas had then been asked to appear before the court in person Tuesday to explain his position before the issuance of a contempt notice.
He appeared before Justice Chaudhry Khalid Rasheed in Muzaffarabad, the regional capital, and was symbolically convicted of the alleged offence and sentenced to time spent in the courtroom. Under the law, this automatically disqualifies him from public office.
Following the announcement of the verdict, Ilyas, who was scheduled to appear before the regional Supreme Court, headed instead to the Prime Minister’s House accompanied by cabinet members.
In response to the development, Fawad Chaudhry, a leader of the PTI party, said it is mandatory to respect the decisions made by the courts, whether it be the prime minister of Pakistan or Kashmir, a self-governing territory.
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
He emphasised that the judicial system must not be undermined to govern the country. Chaudhry urged Ilyas to apologise for his actions and expressed hope that the Supreme Court would provide relief.
Furthermore, he added that Shehbaz Sharif should take heed from the decision made by the court.
It was unclear whether Ilyas would appeal the ruling. The court also instructed the regional election oversight body to prepare for a vote to replace Ilyas.
The assembly in Kashmir is expected to choose the new leader of the house in the coming days. The PTI may face a tough contest as Sharif’s backers claim they are in a position to form the government.
— With input from AP
