Imran Khan Opposes KP Budget 2025 – 2026

Imran Khan, the former Prime Minister of Pakistan and leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), has expressed strong opposition to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government’s decision to include a Rs157 billion surplus in its 2025-26 fiscal budget. Khan argues that the surplus, reportedly aligned with International Monetary Fund (IMF) conditions, should be redirected to fund development projects for public welfare. His stance has sparked tensions within the PTI and raised questions about the budget’s approval process.

Khan, currently incarcerated in Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail, was not consulted before the KP assembly passed the budget, leading to criticism from PTI activists who labeled Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur and other provincial lawmakers as disloyal. Sources within the party indicate that Khan believes the federal government is deepening Pakistan’s debt burden, and he insists the surplus funds should be used for local development rather than meeting external financial obligations. This position echoes his earlier resistance to surplus budgets during the tenure of former KP Chief Minister Mahmood Khan.

The KP government, however, maintains that the surplus is in the province’s best interest and denies receiving specific IMF targets. Muzzammil Aslam, Adviser to the KP Chief Minister on Finance, clarified that the surplus, projected to reach Rs125 billion by June 30, remains under provincial control for debt servicing and other allocations, not returned to the federal government. Despite these assurances, internal PTI disputes have intensified, with former finance minister Taimur Saleem Jhagra noting he was excluded from budget consultations.

Posts on X reflect similar sentiments, with some users claiming Khan explicitly instructed the KP government to delay the budget until he was consulted, highlighting the lack of coordination within the party. Others suggest the budget’s passage without Khan’s approval could complicate Pakistan’s ongoing IMF negotiations, especially as the federal government faces pressure to meet fiscal targets.

The controversy underscores broader concerns about governance and transparency in KP’s budgetary process, with Khan’s opposition signaling potential challenges for the province’s financial strategy and PTI’s internal cohesion.

Published in SouthAsianDesk, June 26th, 2025

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