Rawalpindi, June 26, 2025: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur on Thursday strongly criticized the federal government after being denied a meeting with incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan at Adiala Jail, signaling that his government may not cooperate with the Centre on the forthcoming IMF programme.
Speaking to journalists outside the jail alongside Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Omar Ayub, PTI Senator Shibli Faraz and seasoned politician Makhdoom Javed Hashmi, Gandapur said, “I am telling the Centre that decisions related to the next IMF programme are still pending — and we will make decisions based on the situation in our province.”
He warned the federal government against lecturing the PTI on national interest, asserting that the responsibility of addressing economic challenges does not rest solely on the shoulders of his party.
Several senior PTI leaders — including Gandapur, Ayub, Faraz, Muzamil Aslam, and Taimur Jhagra — were barred from meeting the former prime minister, despite having completed all court-mandated formalities. Jail authorities reportedly cited security concerns as the reason for denying the meeting.
Condemning the move, Gandapur said, “If not today, we will eventually meet him, but creating such obstacles is unjustified.” He accused the federal authorities of systematically targeting PTI through fabricated FIRs, arrests of party leaders, and use of force against protestors — calling such actions a violation of the Constitution and the rule of law.
The KP Chief Minister went on to declare that his government would boycott upcoming finance-related meetings and adopt a defiant stance during negotiations linked to the new IMF agreement.
Responding to criticism over the recently passed KP budget, Gandapur said the provincial government acted to avert a constitutional crisis. He described claims of bypassing Imran Khan as misleading, stating, “Our patron-in-chief has every right to provide input. I remain fully committed to implementing his directives and am answerable only to him.”
His remarks followed criticism from Imran Khan’s sister, Aleema Khan, who labelled the passage of the KP budget without Khan’s consent as part of a “minus Imran Khan” agenda and criticized the Gandapur administration.
The controversy deepened after reports surfaced that Imran Khan had expressed dissatisfaction with the province’s Rs157 billion budget surplus — aligned with IMF recommendations. According to sources cited by The News, Khan believes such a surplus could undermine KP’s case for federal funding.
Confirming the former PM’s concerns, Muhammad Ali Saif, Adviser to the KP CM on Information, said Khan had raised objections over the surplus budget, questioning why the Centre would allocate additional funds if the province is already in surplus. He added that Khan was not angry but had emphasized prioritizing sectors like education, health, and the environment.
The situation underscores rising tensions between the PTI-led KP government and the federal authorities as both sides prepare for critical decisions tied to Pakistan’s economic roadmap and future dealings with the IMF.
