Pakistan Tehreek-E-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan has given conditional approval to Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s budget for the next financial year after a detailed orientation from provincial adviser Barrister Saif.
When he spoke with journalists after meeting Imran in Adiala Prison, he said the former prime minister had been fully informed about the province’s financial situation, constitutional challenges, and what was described as a strategy from the opposition to block the budget’s passage.
He said the party’s founder, after hearing all the details, expressed his agreement with the approval of the budget. “I conveyed everything chief minister Ali Amin Gandapur and Muzzammil Aslam wanted to communicate,” Saif said, adding, “after hearing on the briefing IMRAN KHAN accepted the budget.”
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SAIF confirmed that political and constitutional affairs were discussed in detail during his encounter with Khan, and the PTI chief was informed of legal risks that could have arisen if the budget had not been adopted within the constitutional mandated timeframe.
“Delays could have interfered with wage payments and stopped significant government functions,” he said.
He also revealed that the PTI founder was told of an alleged meeting in the Governor House, where opposition parties had reportedly devised a plan to block the budget’s passage. “Had the budget not been approved, it could have triggered a management crisis in the province,” he said.
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According to SAIF, the KP government held extensive consultations with legal experts and party members before continuing with the budget. The final decision to approve it was made after parliamentary party meetings and internal considerations, he added.
He said changes in the budget remained an opportunity after a scheduled meeting between Imran Khan, Gandapur and Muzzammil Aslam. “Imran Khan will issue directions after this meeting and changes will be made accordingly,” he said.
Previously, Imran had allegedly expressed reservations about the budget’s passage.
According to his sister Aleema Khan, who also met him in the Adiala prison, Imran said, “The budget should not be adopted without my input. Now, with the Supreme Court’s permission, the changes I find necessary must be made. This is my final decision.”
Aleema quoted him as saying that the profits that were projected in the budget were poorly advised when it benefited the federal government and opposite the province’s economic reality.
She added that he regretted not being consulted earlier, especially by CM Gandapur, and urged a team of five members to meet him and discuss the required changes. She also said that Imran was unhappy with the limitations of who could meet him in prison.
In comments on the country’s governance, Imran said there was no hybrid system in place, but rather a de facto martial arts. “He said he would only talk to those who actually have power, citing a recent call from Donald Trump to Army Chief Gen Asim Munir as evidence,” Aleema said, quoting his brother.
She also said that Imran criticized the government’s international status and claimed that foreign leaders did not engage with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif or President Asif Ali Zardari.
On international affairs, the former prime minister greeted the ceasefire between Iran and Israel, but urged Pakistan to focus inward. “Iran is a strong nation – we must learn from them,” he said, emphasizing the need to maintain the rule of law and defend constitutional rights.
