September 30, 2002	Monday	Rajab 22, 1423

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ISLAMABAD, Sept 29: Azad Kashmir Prime Minister Sardar Sikandar Hayat advised state President Sardar Mohammad Anwar on Saturday to go to court for a decision in a raging controversy between them over the use of their powers.

In a press statement issued in Islamabad, he denied he had misused his powers in making some recent appointments of government functionaries as alleged by the president on return from a foreign visit on Friday.

“If he has the impression that I have taken an unconstitutional or illegal step, interfered in the president’s powers or any of my actions is against the spirit of the constitution, or anything has been done in haste, then higher courts are there (to decide),” the premier said.

President Anwar, a retired army major-general who took his office last year, told reporters on Friday that while he was on a visit to the United States, the prime minister had these appointments — including those of an ombudsman and public service commission chairman — made through the acting president, Legislative Assembly speaker Sardar Siab Khalid.

The prime minister said there had been no violation of Azad Kashmir’s constitution, procedures, rules of business and judgments of the superior judiciary.

He also denied the reported remarks by the AJK president that the prime minister’s “ill-health” rather than his own interference was adversely affecting the Azad Kashmir government’s performance.

“This impression is incorrect,” the prime minister said. “Despite my ill-health I have been attending meetings about planning and development until two o’clock at night (in the morning). Doctors advised me in London (recently) to take three weeks’ rest, but within 10 days of my discharge from hospital, I returned home and got the 40-year-old problem of Mangla Dam’s royalty decided.”

He was referring to a decision by Pakistan government earlier this week to give Azad Kashmir royalty for electricity generated by Mangla Dam as given to the North West Frontier Province hydel power dam located there.