The Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Supreme Court has suspended the AJK High Court order that granted interim relief to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in its dispute with the AJK Election Commission over the party's registration. The suspension will remain in effect until July 2, when the full court is scheduled to hear the case.
Background of the Dispute
On June 23, the AJK High Court directed the Election Commission to provisionally register PTI as a political party, effectively suspending the commission's May 16 decision that had rejected PTI's registration application. The commission had cited non-fulfilment of Rule 121 of the Election Rules concerning the party's financial affairs and account details as the reason for rejection.
The Election Commission subsequently challenged the High Court order in the AJK Supreme Court. A three-member bench of the Supreme Court, headed by senior puisne judge Syed Shahid Bahar and comprising Justices Sardar Muhammad Ejaz and Khalid Rasheed Chaudhry, initially heard the matter.
Supreme Court's Interim Order
On Monday, Chief Justice Raja Saeed Akram issued an interim order suspending the High Court's June 23 order. The order stated that the operation of the High Court's directive, to the extent that it granted interim relief, would remain in abeyance pending the full court hearing on July 2.
The court considered the overall facts and circumstances of the case, the settled principles governing the grant of interim relief—including the existence of a prima facie arguable case, the balance of convenience, and the likelihood of irreparable loss—as well as the affidavit filed in support of the application.
PTI's Request for Adjournment
Earlier, PTI counsel Yasir Safeer Mughal appeared before the court and sought an adjournment, submitting that he was unable to prepare the case properly. The court accepted the request and directed the registrar's office to fix the application for hearing before the full court on July 2.
Election Commission counsel Tahir Aziz Khan, Advocate General Raja Nadeem Khan, and others were present during the proceedings.
Next Steps
The case is now scheduled for a full court hearing on July 2, where the Supreme Court will decide on the validity of the High Court's interim relief order. Until then, the PTI's registration status remains in limbo, with the Election Commission's original rejection still in effect.
