Muhammad Nisar Khan
ISLAMABAD: President Azad Jammu and Kashmir Barrister Sultan Mahmood Chaudhry on Wednesday appointed Senior Minister Khawaja Farooq Ahmed as acting Prime Minister of AJK after Supreme Court dismissed the appeal of Sardar Tanveer Ilyas, who had challenged his disqualification by the high court.
Earlier, the AJK high court disqualified Sardar Tanveer Ilyas in a contempt of court case.
Khawaja Farooq Ahmed will serve under Article 17-1 till the election of the new prime minister.
President Sultan made the appointment after consulting constitutional experts. The AJK president signed the summary related to the appointment of the acting prime minister.
The ongoing session of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly will be held on April 13 to elect the new prime minister. The AJK Legislative Assembly speaker will issue the schedule for the election of the new prime minister.
A few days ago, Sardar Tanveer Ilyas had delivered a fiery speech against the judges in the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, stating that “if anyone challenged the powers of the legislative assembly, he would have to quit his job. Stay within your limits, don’t interfere in parliament’s affairs.”
Sardar Tanveer Ilyas had also strongly criticized the judges at a private ceremony stating: “We want to work, but the courts are issuing stays after stays. If we want to carry out a project, a stay order is issued. People walking on the streets are called by the court to give stays. I will take out the smoke of the judges.”
Sardar Tanveer Ilyas had filed a petition in the AJK Supreme Court against the high court decision. However, the Supreme Court registrar raised an objection and said he should write the “former prime minister with his appeal and submit it again.
The registrar also raised an objection as to why a certified copy of the de-seat notification was not attached to the application.
The Supreme Court dismissed the appeal of Sardar Tanveer Ilyas and said that he should file a new petition, and it will be decided later whether or not the petition could be heard.
