Rawalpindi/Peshawar:
In a seemingly fresh internal divide within PTI, the party’s cartridge-in-chief Imran Khan has distanced himself from the approval of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa budget and said it was done behind his back and was invalid without his prior consultation.
He rejected the way the budget was adopted and said that a budget that was approved in just three hours without proper consultation was unacceptable.
Imran’s concerns were conveyed through his sister Aleema Khan, who spoke outside Adiala Prison on Tuesday, said the decision to pass the KP budget was made in unnecessary haste and without the consent of the party’s founder.
“In my opinion, the formula ‘minus Imran Khan’ has already been executed,” she said, adding that her brother was even denied a two-day waiting time on the budget.
The former Prime Minister also claimed that no changes should continue without the Supreme Court’s permission and only under his instructions – even when KP Information adviser -Attorney Ali Saif claimed that IMRAN had given his Nikk to the provincial budget after being informed.
Aleema said IMRAN demanded the party approach SC to seek permission for a formally consultative meeting between him and the party’s financial team. “Only after such a consultation will he review and decide the changes required in the budget,” she quoted Imran.
Aleema Khan, who spoke to the media outside the Adiala prison after meeting with family members who gained access to the founder of the prison party, said she was denied permission to meet her brother herself. However, her sisters, Dr. Uzma and Noreen Niazi, able to see him and convey his views.
She expressed frustration at being denied a meeting with Imran. “What was the urgency of passing on the KP budget?” She asked.
“What was hidden from the PTI founder in this budget that they couldn’t even wait two days for?” “In my opinion, Imran Khan has been sidelined,” she added.
Aleema also threw authorities to try to block communication within Adiala Prison.
“Barrister Saif had been sent to explain why the KP budget was presented so quickly and under coercion,” she said, quoting Imran, who also noted that “Ali Amin Gandapur should have come to see me much earlier”.
However, Barrister Saif said he informed the imprisoned Supremo of the party in the provincial political scenario and assessed him of the alleged conspiracies of the opposition to derail the budget process.
“I conveyed everything to the protector of boss, as chief minister Ali Amin Gandapur and Muzzammil Aslam would share with him,” he said. “After hearing on all facts and concerns, he expressed his consent regarding the budget.”
According to Saif, the meeting involved detailed discussions not only about political affairs, but also about the KP budget.
