Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Information Minister Shafi Jan on Tuesday dismissed reports of PTI MPAs forming a group against KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, terming them “fabricated and baseless”.

The statement comes in response to media reports claiming that around 50 PTI MPAs had formed a group against CM Afridi over dissatisfaction with his performance. It was also reported that the division may impact the passage of the upcoming provincial budget, due to which CM Afridi had met with Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman for his “support”.

In a statement posted to his X account, Jan said that the reports of assembly members forming a group against CM Afridi were “false, fabricated, and baseless,” warning that “those who dream of sowing division among party assembly members have failed”.

Jan clarified that all members of the KP Assembly remained “united under the leadership of CM Afridi and were determined to serve people”. He said that “organised and baseless propaganda” had been carried out against the chief minister ever since he took office.

The provincial minister stated that CM Afridi had the confidence of PTI founder Imran Khan, whose decision within party ranks remained “final”.

Referring to CM Afridi’s meeting with JUI-F’s Rehman, Jan clarified that the meeting focused on the death of cleric Maulana Muhammad Idrees and the overall law and order situation.

Dismissing the reports of a division, he said that KP was the only province in the country “where true democratic values were being promoted”. He added that CM Afridi had united the opposition parties for the sake of public interest.

“He is also holding regular meetings over mega development projects for public welfare,” Jan added.

He advised those spreading “fake news” to “wait for the provincial budget,” stating that “not only will the budget pass without hurdles, but it will also prove to be a harbinger of development and prosperity”.

He further added that despite the availability of limited resources, the KP government had “achieved major successes in areas of development, law and order and public interest”.