The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leadership has advised Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohil Afridi to present a full-year provincial budget instead of an interim three-month financial plan. The budget is expected to be tabled in the provincial assembly on June 19.
Ongoing Consultations
The development comes amid ongoing consultations within the party regarding the budget strategy. Earlier, Chief Minister Sohil Afridi had announced that the provincial budget would be presented after consultation with PTI founder and former prime minister Imran Khan. However, due to uncertainty over a possible meeting with Khan, the provincial government had considered introducing an interim budget covering expenditures for three months.
Legal and Financial Implications
Legal experts and party leaders have been engaged in discussions with the chief minister to assess the constitutional and financial implications of both options. Sources said the K-P Finance Department has completed preparations for the annual budget, while a three-month expenditure plan had also been drafted as a contingency measure.
PTI's provincial leadership has now recommended presenting the full budget for the entire fiscal year, citing broader provincial interests and concerns raised by legal experts. Speaking on the issue, K-P PTI Information Secretary Shaukat Yousafzai said the chief minister had initially preferred a three-month budget in the absence of a meeting with Imran Khan. However, he added that legal concerns emerged over the interim arrangement.
According to legal experts, failure to approve a full-year budget could create financial and administrative challenges for the province. Meanwhile, lawmakers previously considered dissatisfied with the party leadership have decided to participate in the upcoming budget session, a move expected to ease political tensions ahead of the budget presentation.
