SC issues notices to respondents over petition of Kashmir affairs ministry

ISLAMABAD: Supreme Court (SC) Monday issued notices to all respondents in a case regarding constitutional status of Gilgit Baltistan Supreme Appellate Court and the Chief Court over petition of Ministry of Kashmir Affairs.

A seven-member larger bench headed by Acting Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed and comprised Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed, Justice Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Faisal Arab, Justice Ijaz Ul Ahsan, Justice Sajjad Ali Shah and Justice Munib Akhtar heard the case.

During the course of proceedings, Justice Ijaz Ul Ahsan asked the attorney general what happened as he had submitted a suggestion and said the matter would be implemented by the Parliament.

Attorney General Anwar Mansoor Khan said time was required for implementation of the suggestion through Parliament.

A representative of the Gilgit Baltistan Bar Council argued that instead of implementing the court order, the government had deployed a judge under the administrative order.

Upon this, Justice Azmat Saeed said that's why; the court was issuing notice to the bar council to decide the case after hearing it.

Later hearing of the case was adjourned till next week.

It is to mention here that the Kashmir affairs ministry filed the petition and sought some time for implementation of court orders.

Supreme Court in its verdict had directed that constitutional rights should be given to Gilgit-Baltistan and gave 14 days for implementation of its judgment but the Kashmir affairs ministry could not implement the court orders.