AJK SC Rejects Tanveer Ilyas' Plea Against Disqualification

AJK SC Rejects Tanveer Ilyas' Plea Against Disqualification
The AJK Supreme Court on Wednesday rejected Sardar Tanveer Ilyas' appeal against his disqualification by the high court, on technical grounds.

According to SC Chief Justice Raja Saeed Akram, the plea was "incompetently worded", as it addresses Ilyas as the premier while the high court's order still holds ground.

The judge, however, allowed the deposed premier's lawyers to file a fresh appeal against the decision.

In a severe blow to PTI, the AJK High Court disqualified PM Sardar Tanveer Ilyas for contempt of court, on Tuesday.

He was called before the Supreme Court and High Court of AJK for employing a “threatening tone” in one of his remarks, which led to the high court’s ruling.

During yesterday's hearing, Justice Sadaqat Hussain Raja presided over the full bench. Ilyas was included in the videos that were presented throughout the hearing.

“I regret wholeheartedly if any of my statements have wounded the judge,” AJK PM Ilyas said in a statement to the court. But Ilyas was sentenced until the rising of the court.

The decision was made in a meeting of the judges when the matter was reviewed in great detail and it was highlighted that the prime minister’s entire conduct was contemptuous, according to an order issued by a two-member bench based on a newspaper clipping describing the remarks.

Sardar Tanveer Ilyas had blasted court-issued stay orders the day before and claimed that the practice was having an impact on how well the government was performing. He said that although the stay orders were only temporary and needed to be decided quickly, they continued for years.

According to an analysis, AJK government wanted to complete a few projects in the region but the court had issued a stay order on those. It was bound to invite a reaction from a public representative.