KP Finance Minister Warns Budget Situation Worsening

ISLAMABAD: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Finance Minister Muzammil Aslam has warned that the financial situation is worsening ahead of the upcoming budget, ARY News reported.

Addressing a press conference on Monday, the KP Finance Minister stated that key economic issues must be settled before the National Economic Council (NEC) meeting can take place.

He noted that matters involving massive sums of Rs 1,700 billion and Rs 1,200 billion remain unresolved, adding that crucial legislation needs to be enacted prior to the budget’s presentation.

Muzammil Aslam emphasized that consultation with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founding chairman Imran Khan is essential for budget preparation.

He maintained that if the provincial leadership is allowed to meet with Imran Khan, the former prime minister could provide a viable solution to the country’s prevailing political and economic crises.

Referring to inter-provincial dynamics, the minister described Punjab and Sindh as “elder brothers” to KP. He concluded by stating that, given the unresolved issues, the upcoming meeting of the National Economic Council is likely to be postponed.

Earlier, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Sohail Afridi has asserted that “no power” can remove him from his post, as he was appointed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founding chairman Imran Khan.

Speaking to the media at the Factory Checkpost in Rawalpindi, Sohail Afridi stated that he would remain the Chief Minister unless a direct message to the contrary comes from Adiala Jail.

He claimed that no one has the authority to dismiss the KP government except the party’s founding chairman, adding that all party MPAs stand united under the PTI flag.

Critiquing the federal government’s upcoming budget, Afridi warned that it would “suck the blood of the masses once again,” pointing out that Pakistan’s internal and external loans have now surpassed 97,000 billion rupees.

He noted that the government’s tax collection fell short of its targets and alleged that the budget would be passed through political compromise (“give and take”).

He added that the trade deficit is on the rise, with the entire financial burden ultimately being shifted onto the public.

The Chief Minister also demanded that Imran Khan be transferred to Shifa International Hospital, where he could receive treatment under the supervision of his personal doctors and in the presence of his family. He accused the government of having ulterior motives for denying meetings with the PTI founder.

“If they are not allowing me to meet Imran Khan, they should at least allow his family to meet him,” Afridi urged.

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Reiterating that PTI is synonymous with Imran Khan, he maintained that rumors of a “forward block” within the KP assembly are mere propaganda designed to distract the public while the government prepares a harsh budget.