Former AJK PM held on remand for misusing diplomatic passport

ISLAMABAD, May 21: Sardar Tanveer Ilyas, the former Prime Minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), has been remanded in custody for three days after appearing before District and Sessions Courts Islamabad.
Ilyas was brought before Civil Judge Abbas Shah on Tuesday by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on charges of misusing a diplomatic passport. The FIA prosecutor argued that Ilyas continued to use his diplomatic passport for travel to Saudi Arabia even after leaving office, which is a violation of the law.
The defense team, led by Sabir Malik Advocate and Naveed Raza Mughal Advocate, countered that Ilyas's status as a former prime minister entitled him to use a diplomatic passport. They argued that the FIA's request for an eight-day remand was excessive and unnecessary for the sole purpose of recovering the passport.
Despite the defense's arguments, the court approved a three-day physical remand for Ilyas. This case raises questions about the privileges extended to former officials and the proper use of diplomatic passports.