PESHAWAR – Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur vehemently asserted that the Centre is conspiring against KP. He blamed the federal government of attempting to undermine the financial and political stability of the province. Addressing the KP budget session, he claimed that the Centre is intentionally holding up the budget to create a financial crisis and perhaps declare a financial emergency. He emphasized that such strategies would not work. He also cautioned that no one would succeed in overthrowing the PTI-led KP government.
Mr Gandapur complained that he was not permitted to consult PTI founder Imran Khan on the KP budget, despite his repeated requests in the last 21 days. When you cannot get a meeting, say that there is another person who is running this government, he said, and in a real democracy, such consultation is possible.
In his opinion, a government can only be toppled by financial meltdown or law and order failure, which the PTI-led government has successfully avoided despite the persistent challenges.
Claims of Election Fraud & Institutional Prejudice
The CM said that governmental institutions actively targeted and sabotaged the PTI. He alleged that the state institutions had collectively resolved to do away with PTI and its leadership. Ali Amin Gandapur was talking about the general elections of February 8. Gandapur claimed officials stole PTI’s mandate in 3 provinces and federally. He told me that the authorities did not print Form-45s. He further stated that the Rawalpindi commissioner had confessed to rigging the elections.
Mr Gandapur also blamed the members of the interim setup, who are now part of the federal government, of using state institutions to kidnap and torture PTI candidates. He said that unknown agents kidnapped and tortured him before May 9, 2023. They forced him to speak out against Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi.
He also cited letters by judges complaining of pressure, and that the failure to act on such complaints was a sign of selective justice. Ali Amin Gandapur said only Imran Khan could dissolve the KP Assembly. He assured that he will take action as soon as the founder of PTI orders.
The policies of Khan enabled the province to earn Rs93 billion in revenue despite the financial challenges. The officials estimate this figure to increase to Rs129 billion in FY2025-26. He accused the federal government of not releasing Rs43 billion to the Accelerated Implementation Programme but instead paid Rs6 billion.
