MUZAFFARABAD, Dec 21: The AJK Prime Minister, Sardar Sikandar Hayat, has appreciated the services rendered by his adviser on education, Chaudhry Mohammed Yousaf, who may resign in the near future citing bad health as the main reason.

Mr Yousaf, who is also a former secretary education, came under scathing attacks by Muslim Conference president Sardar Attique Ahmed Khan at a recent meeting of the party’s working committee.

The MC chief had also demanded his immediate removal. However, Mr Hayat defended the adviser saying that the adviser was himself willing to resign but he (the PM) had stopped him for completing some important tasks regarding the education department.

However, the fierce criticism created trouble for the prime minister, who sought some respite from the working committee till its next meeting scheduled for the second week of the next month.

On Saturday, the adviser met the prime minister at the Prime Minister’s House where, according to sources, the premier took him into confidence on the situation in the wake of growing pressure by the Muslim Conference legislators.

The prime minister also appreciated what he described were valuable services rendered by the adviser in the education sector.

Soon after the meeting, the adviser came to his office where he did official work, besides holding meetings with the officials.

However, a statement issued by the adviser, after the meeting, indicated that he had made up his mind to resign in the near future on account of his “deteriorating health”.

In the statement, he contradicted as baseless the reports appearing in a section of press regarding his removal and said neither he had been removed nor had tendered resignation.

Mr Yousaf said that he was not feeling well for the past couple of months due to which he had requested the prime minister twice to relieve him of his responsibilities, but Mr Hayat did not agree.

“Even now, my health is constantly deteriorating and if it did not improve I will resign at my own. There is no pressure on me from the prime minister in this regard,” he said, in a clear sign that he wanted to go home at the earliest to ease tensions for the premier.

He, however, added that if he resigned, he would answer the objections of his critics. “But at the moment I do not want to indulge in any sort of debate.”