KP set to present full budget on June 19

PESHAWAR: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leadership has advised the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government to place a full provincial budget before the assembly on June 19 instead of moving ahead with a temporary three-month financial plan, amid continuing internal consultations over the province’s budget strategy.

The move follows earlier indications from Chief Minister Sohil Afridi that the budget would be presented after consultation with PTI founder and former prime minister Imran Khan. However, uncertainty surrounding a possible meeting with Khan had led the provincial government to consider an interim arrangement to cover expenditures for three months.

Consultations over legal and financial implications

Legal experts and party leaders have been in discussions with the chief minister to examine the constitutional and financial consequences of both options. The KP Finance Department has completed work on the annual budget, while a three-month expenditure plan was also prepared as a fallback option.

PTI’s provincial leadership has now recommended that the government proceed with a budget for the full fiscal year, citing the wider interests of the province and concerns highlighted by legal experts. Legal opinion suggested that failure to secure approval for a full-year budget could create financial and administrative difficulties for the province.

Party says interim plan had been under consideration

Speaking on the matter, KP PTI Information Secretary Shaukat Yousafzai said the chief minister had initially leaned toward a three-month budget if a meeting with Imran Khan did not take place. He added that legal concerns later surfaced regarding such an interim arrangement.

In a related development, lawmakers who had earlier been viewed as unhappy with the party leadership have decided to attend the coming budget session, a step that is expected to reduce political strain before the budget is presented.

The expected presentation of the provincial budget on June 19 now appears likely to proceed in the form of a full-year financial plan, following the party leadership’s advice and the consultations held over its legal and administrative implications.