PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur on Monday accused the Centre of conspiring against the provincial administration, asserting that they would not be allowed to topple the KP government.
Speaking during a budget session of the KP Assembly, chaired by Speaker Babar Saleem Swati, CM Gandapur alleged that the Centre was deliberately trying to delay the KP budget in an attempt to trigger a financial crisis in the province.
Consulting with the PTI founder on the KP budget was their democratic right, but despite repeated requests over 21 days, no meeting was arranged with Imran Khan, he regretted. “If you can’t arrange our meeting, then admit that this isn’t your government. Either acknowledge that someone else is running this government or stop calling yourself democratic.”
CM Gandapur said a government could only be brought down under two conditions — financial instability and a deteriorating law and order situation. However, he said the PTI-led KP government had overcome financial hurdles despite repeated obstacles created by the Centre.
The chief minister lamented that drone attacks continued despite being repeatedly condemned on the floor of the house. “Since they have no other option left, they now want to stop us from passing the budget and declare a financial emergency in the province. We will never let them succeed in their conspiracies.”
Mr Gandapur alleged that the PTI was systematically attacked and that all state institutions and powers had jointly decided to eliminate Imran Khan and his party.
The chief minister alleged that PTI’s mandate was stolen in three provinces and at the federal level, and that no one was able to produce Form-45. He pointed out that the Rawalpindi commissioner had confessed to altering the results of the Feb 8, 2024, general elections.
He accused the members of political parties who were part of the interim government — and are now part of the federal government — of abusing power and targeting PTI candidates during the Feb 8 polls.
“They instructed ISI, MI, and the police to pick up their opponents. PTI candidates were abducted and tortured,” Mr Gandapur alleged, adding that he himself had been picked up before May 9, 2023 and was tortured to issue a statement against Mr Khan and Bushra Bibi.
Mr Gandapur also referred to the judges’ letters alleging pressure, saying that no action had been taken on those complaints. He reiterated that only Imran Khan had the authority to order the dissolution of the KP Assembly. “As soon as Mr Khan gives the order, I will not waste a moment and dissolve the assembly.”
Since PTI holds a majority in the KP Assembly, Mr Gandapur said, they reserved the right to amend the budget as per the directives of their party founder.
The chief minister added that the province had collected Rs65 billion from its own resources over 76 years. However, due to Mr Khan’s policies, KP’s revenue rose to Rs93bn and is projected to reach Rs129bn during the fiscal year 2025-26.
He criticised the federal government for failing to release Rs43bn under the Accelerated Implementation Programme for the merged districts, saying that only Rs6bn had been paid.
Published in Dawn, June 24th, 2025
