Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi has said that no budget draft will be signed until permission is granted to meet PTI founder Imran Khan. He made the remarks while addressing the provincial budget session, linking legislative progress to political and humanitarian demands. The statement added tension to an already heated budget debate.
Speaking in the assembly, the chief minister said his party had demanded proper medical treatment for Imran Khan in a well-equipped hospital along with restored access for meetings. He maintained that no grants or official budget documents would be approved until these conditions were met, signaling a firm political stance during the proceedings.
Sohail Afridi also praised provincial finance management and thanked lawmakers for their role in preparing the budget. He said 92 members had collectively agreed to present the budget, which would be introduced with a deficit of Rs48 billion. His comments came amid ongoing political divisions in the provincial assembly.
During the session, opposition members protested and created disruptions, leading to heated exchanges on the floor of the house. The chief minister responded by urging calm and instructed officials to provide water to protesting lawmakers, as tensions escalated during his speech.
The budget session is expected to remain politically charged as debate continues over fiscal priorities and the government’s conditions linked to broader political demands.