MUZAFFARABAD, Feb 5: The speaker of the Azad Kashmir Legislative Assembly, Sardar Siab Khalid, was stopped by army personnel for nearly 20 minutes outside the gate of his secretariat here on Sunday.

Sources said that when the speaker reached the assembly gate in his official flat-bearing vehicle to meet former prime minister Sardar Abdul Qayyum Khan who was staying in the MLA hostel, he was stopped by the army personnel deputed at the place and asked to show his personal security pass although his vehicle carried a security sticker issued by the AJK special branch. The speaker refused to show the security pass saying it was a disgrace for people holding public offices.

“I am the custodian of this house and I wonder how I cannot enter the premises in my official vehicle,” he was quoted as saying.