KP CM moves IHC seeking meeting with Imran ahead of provincial budget
Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
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In the courts
- The Chief Minister of Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province has asked the Islamabad High Court for permission to meet with former Prime Minister Imran Khan.
- The meeting is deemed essential for the approval of the provincial budget, which requires Khan's final sign-off.
- The Chief Minister also criticized the federal government for allegedly depriving KP of resources and ignoring the province in development allocations, citing a rise in terrorism.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi has filed a petition with the Islamabad High Court, seeking permission to meet with PTI founder and former Prime Minister Imran Khan. The meeting is crucial ahead of the provincial budget's final approval for the upcoming fiscal year.
A meeting with the PTI founder was essential as the provincial budget had been prepared and required his final approval.
Speaking to reporters, CM Afridi emphasized that consultation with Khan is necessary as the provincial budget has been prepared and requires his sign-off. He stated that the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa gave their mandate to the PTI founder, making consultation on the budget essential. Afridi also voiced concerns that the province is being deprived of its due share of resources and alleged that KP is being punished for its support of the PTI founder.
The people of KP had given their mandate to the PTI founder, adding that consultation with him on the budget was necessary.
The Chief Minister criticized the federal government's development allocations, claiming the province was overlooked in the previous federal budget and development program. He also expressed worry over the country's economic situation, stressing that the economy and the welfare of citizens should be prioritized. Afridi further alleged a rise in terrorism in KP and accused the federal government of unfair treatment towards the province.
The province was being deprived of its due share of resources and alleged that KP was being punished for supporting the PTI founder.
PTI plans to protest outside Parliament during the budget session, expected on June 10. CM Afridi asserted his authority as Chief Minister to make decisions for the provincial government. Meanwhile, Imran Khan has been in jail since August 2023, serving sentences for corruption cases. Meetings with him at Adiala jail have been suspended in recent months, and authorities recently prevented CM Afridi and Imran Khan's sister from meeting him.
The province had been ignored in the previous federal budget and development programme.
DistantNews Editorial
Originally published by Dawn. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.
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