ISLAMABAD - Differences have reportedly erupted between AJK President Sultan Mehmood Chaudhary and Prime Minister Sardar Abdul Qayyum Khan Niazi on the creation of the office of deputy prime minister AJK.

Credible sources told The Nation yesterday that in a recent meeting between Sultan Mehmood Chaudhary and Abdul Qayyum Niazi, the former turned down the proposal of the prime minister for creating the office of deputy prime minister AJK. At present there is no position of deputy prime Minister in AJK under the constitution of Azad state of Jammu and Kashmir.

According to the sources, Sardar Tanvir Ilyas who is serving as Senior Minister in the AJK cabinet was behind the scene and convinced the AJK PM to create the position. The sources said the AJK PM requested President Sultan Mehmood Chaudhary to promulgate an ordinance to create the deputy PM position, which he refused. There are also differences between the AJK PM and the President over administrative matters and control over bureaucracy. The AJK PM reportedly told the President that he would get the legislation done from AJK assembly on creating the office of deputy AJK PM. The sources said the AJK President, however, has the powers to reject any bill from signing which is adopted by the AJK assembly.