ISLAMABAD: Azad Kashmir Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider announced on Tuesday that he would challenge in the AJK High Court on Wednesday the process of election of his successor after his resignation.
Mr Haider had resigned on Monday to avoid a no-confidence vote in the Legislative Assembly.
Addressing a news conference here, he alleged that AJK President Raja Zulqarnain had acted “unconstitutionally” in calling a session of the assembly on Thursday, ignoring his advice to summon it on Aug 6. He said he would continue to act as the prime minister during the period.
Under Article 7 of the AJK constitution, the president was bound to act upon the prime minister’s advice, he said.
He expressed the hope that the AJK High Court would follow in the footsteps of Pakistani courts and uphold the constitution.
He alleged that the secretary and other officials of the assembly had been pressurised to issue the schedule for the election of the new leader of the house.
Mr Haider, who belongs to the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Muslim Conference (AJKMC), said that his group had not submitted any nomination paper on Tuesday because it had boycotted the process, considering it illegal and unconstitutional.
He said he had met Pakistan Muslim League-N chief Nawaz Sharif in Raiwind earlier in the day and both of them had decided to launch PML-N’s chapter in AJK.
Mr Haider said he and his supporters would actively work to organise the PML-N in AJK.
He criticised the federal government for its alleged role in creating political instability in AJK.
He alleged that President Asif Zardari, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, Kashmir Affairs Minister Manzoor Wattoo, AJK President Raja Zulqarnain and his political rival Sardar Atique Ahmed Khan had united against him because of steps taken by him to curb corruption.