MUZAFFARABAD: The Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) High Court has served notice on a senior PPP leader from Bagh, asking him to appear in person before the bench on Tuesday to explain as to why contempt of court proceedings should not be initiated against him for his accusations against a returning officer (RO).

Former minister Sardar Qamar Zaman had hurled a volley of allegations at the RO at a press conference on Dec 5, two days after his party had failed to clinch a noticeable victory in Bagh district in the second phase of the local government (LG) polls.

As the contents of his presser went viral on social media, Chief Justice (CJ) Sadaqat Hussain Raja issued a writ of mandamus and constituted full bench, headed by himself and comprising Justice Sardar Habib Zia, Justice Liaqat Hussain Shaheen, Justice Khalid Rashid Chaudhry, Justice Syed Shahid Bahar and Justice Mian Arif Hussain, to take up the case.

“Enough is enough. Hitherto, we have shown too much patience. I and my brother judges have been working to the best of our abilities, witness to which are the lawyers who appear in courts daily,” remarked the CJ during the proceedings on the writ of mandamus.

“We could have ignored it if it were something about our person but we cannot allow anyone to vilify the subordinate judiciary,” he added, without mincing words.

Deploring the trend “to point the finger at courts following defeat in elections,” he maintained that the judicial officers had rendered valuable services for long to ensure realisation of LG polls for which they deserved appreciation rather than opprobrium.

“It’s our responsibility to provide protection to the members of the subordinate judiciary which we will fulfill at all costs. No one can be given carte blanche to treat the courts however he likes,” the chief justice said.

The CJ directed Advocate General Khawaja Maqbool War to present the content of Mr Zaman’s presser, available on social media, before the bench by Monday.

It may be relevant to mention here that Mr Zaman has already been served a notice by the Election Commission to explain his position with regard to his press conference.

Published in Dawn, December 10th, 2022