AJK judges appointment: Contempt petition moved against PM, others

ISLAMABAD: Azad Kashmir High Court Bar Association has filed a contempt petition against Chairman AJK Council Prime Minister Imran Khan and others.

The AJK High Court have invited objections from Prime Minister Imran Khan, AJK Prime minister Raja Farooq Haider and Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs Ali Amin Gandapur. AJK Council and law and justice secretaries of AJK have also been made parties to the case.

The petition said eight vacancies of judges are vacant in the AJK High Court, which Chief Justice Raja Sadaqat Ali Khan is running the court alone, which is injustice with the chief justice, judiciary, lawyers and litigants. The petition questioned how a single judge can perform the duties of nine judges.

The petition said former AJK High Court chief justice Azhar Saleem Babar one month before his retirement had given a verdict on a petition on March 9 that vacancies of judge be filled under the principles set through Al-Jihad Trust case within one month. It said the authorities empowered for judges appointment are openly flouting the court order, therefore contempt proceedings must be initiated against them.