KP minister says no funds for Centre without consultation with Imran Khan

PESHAWAR: Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Information Minister Shafi Jan on Tuesday said the provincial government would not release funds to the federal government without consulting PTI founder Imran Khan, reiterating the party’s position on the issue.

Speaking to reporters after administering the oath to the newly elected cabinet members of the Mardan Press Club, the minister said the stance had already been conveyed at the National Economic Council meeting. He also referred to remarks made in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Assembly budget session last week by Chief Minister Muhammad Sohail Afridi, who said any decision on providing additional funds to the Centre would rest with Imran Khan.

The chief minister had told the house that the PTI founder was the final authority on the matter. "We had made it clear during the National Economic Council (NEC) meeting that the decision regarding provision of additional funds to the federal government will be made by PTI founder Imran Khan - the last authority to approve it," he said.

Shafi Jan also said the federal government owed Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa trillions of rupees. In the same media talk, he said Chief Minister Sohail Afridi remained among the public on a continuous basis, unlike the situation in Punjab. The minister further said the situation in South Punjab was worrying and added that Lahore could not represent the whole province. He also alleged corruption in the Suthra Punjab project, claiming irregularities worth billions of rupees in Faisalabad.