Staff Report
PESHAWAR: Advisor to the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Information and Public Relations, Barrister Dr. Saif, met with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan in a significant meeting focused on political developments and the provincial budget.
Barrister Dr. Saif stated that the meeting entailed a detailed discussion on various political matters, with a special emphasis on the legal and constitutional complexities surrounding the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa budget. He briefed Imran Khan on the potential consequences of not passing the budget within the constitutionally mandated timeframe.
“If the budget were not approved in time, it would have resulted in serious constitutional and legal challenges,” Dr. Saif explained. “This could have led to a situation where salaries could not be disbursed, and essential government expenditures could not be met.”
He further apprised Imran Khan that failure to approve the budget would have pushed the province toward a financial and administrative crisis. Barrister Dr. Saif also informed Imran Khan about opposition parties’ possible maneuvers to block the budget’s approval and disclosed details of a recent covert meeting held at the Governor House.
“The opposition had devised a comprehensive plan to prevent the budget from passing,” he added. “To counter this, the KP government consulted legal experts and engaged in extensive deliberations with the parliamentary party.”
As a result of these consultations, the KP government decided to approve the budget conditionally. Dr. Saif mentioned that following a meeting between KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur and Imran Khan, modifications to the budget may be introduced based on further guidance.
“Imran Khan expressed his consent for the budget’s conditional approval and will issue instructions regarding its implementation during his meeting with the Chief Minister and Muzzammil Aslam,” Dr. Saif stated.
He also revealed that prior to his own meeting, permission was not being granted for the Chief Minister and Muzzammil Aslam to meet Imran Khan. Dr. Saif said, “I was allowed to meet Imran Khan today and conveyed all the points the Chief Minister and Muzzammil Aslam wished to raise.
As per the CM’s instructions, I provided a comprehensive briefing on the budget.”
Barrister Dr. Saif reaffirmed the provincial government’s commitment to constitutional compliance and transparency, stating that the forthcoming changes in the budget will reflect the founder’s directives and the collective interest of the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
