MUZAFFARABAD: The Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) High Court on Friday issued notices for comments on a petition seeking annulment of the alleged forged State Subject certificates of four AJK Legislative Assembly members elected from the Kashmiri refugees’ constituencies in Pakistan.

The petition was filed by Mohammad Tahir Khokhar, a former minister and thrice elected MLA, through his counsel Mir Sharafat Hussain and Adnan Ahmed Pirzada.

Mr Khokhar had challenged, in particular, the “fake and forged” State Subject certificates of Ghulam Mohiuddin Deevan, Asim Sharif, Javed Butt and Chaudhry Riaz Gujjar while naming themas private respondents in his petition.

All four were elected in July 2021 general elections on the PTI ticket.

The petitioner had arrayed the AJK government, the AJK Rehabilitation Department, the AJK Board of Revenue, AJK Election Commission, AJK Council and Nadra as official respondents.

“Since the private respondents are not State Subjects, they are not entitled to hold the seats of the Legislative Assembly and the July 27, 2021 notification to this effect should be declared unlawful and quashedto their extent,” Mr Khokhar prayed.

He further pleaded that the court should also direct the official respondents to hold an inquiry into all the State Subject certificates issued in favour of the refugees settled in Pakistan and forged and fabricated State Subject certificates issued to the non-State Subjects should be cancelled within reasonable time and a data of all State Subject refugees settled in Pakistan should be computerized.

Chief Justice Sadaqat Hussain Raja held that before admission of the petition notices should be served on the respondents to file their para-wise comments on it before or by the next date of hearing, which had not been fixed immediately.

Published in Dawn, April 29th, 2023