MUZAFFARABAD, June 22: Serious differences have surfaced between the AJK government and President Sardar Mohammad Anwar Khan which have potential to take a worst turn in the coming days, Dawn learnt from highly credible sources.

On Wednesday afternoon, the parliamentary party of the ruling Muslim Conference decided not to attend a dinner which the president had hosted in the honour of the Legislative Assembly (LA) members at his residence.

The decision was taken soon after prorogation of the LA session in a close-door meeting which was also attended by Prime Minister Sardar Sikandar Hayat, Muslim Conference president Sardar Attique Ahmed Khan and LA speaker Siab Khalid.

The meeting took serious stock of “obstacles being created by the president in smooth functioning of the government” and of his press statements in which he had allegedly dubbed the AJK politicians as “flatterers.”

A source told Dawn that three top Muslim Conference leaders - Prime Minister Sardar Sikandar Hayat, former premier Sardar Abdul Qayyum Khan and party president Sardar Attique Ahmed — had already made up their mind to boycott the president’s dinner.

Majority of the participants remained silent at the meeting, but some stressed that the decision should be reviewed because it was a traditional dinner, the source said.

But the prime minister and the MC chief appeared unwilling to change their mind as they cited different reasons in support of their viewpoint, he added.

The source said that a vocal participant expressed doubt if the party leadership would adhere to the decision.

“Then you will also have to stick to this decision instead of hobnobbing with the president,” the source quoted him as having said at the meeting.