The federal government should allocate 50 billion rupees for the merged districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa this month. Despite promises of 460 billion rupees for law and order, not a single rupee has been received. These remarks were made by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur during the supplementary budget session in the Provincial Assembly on Friday.
Chief Minister Gandapur stated that the federal government still owes the province 1510 billion rupees. "When PTI left the government, a unit of electricity cost 16 rupees. How did it reach 65 rupees today? Petrol was 145 rupees; how has it nearly doubled to 300?" he questioned. He urged the federal government to deduct 120 billion rupees from the province's dues in the form of electricity because the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa cannot afford to pay.
He highlighted that the province receives 300 billion rupees less each year from the federal government and will pay up to 30 billion of the 96 billion rupees it owes the federal government. Gandapur criticized the previous government's extension beyond its 90-day term and the current government's unconstitutional measures, including recruitment. He vowed that everyone involved in the caretaker setup would be held accountable, and criticized multiple political parties for their unconstitutional actions regarding the caretaker government extension.
The Chief Minister lamented that during the caretaker government, democracy, the constitution, and provincial traditions were ignored. He accused the Federation of repeated injustices against his party before the election, including rigging. "Repeated requests to the Federation are futile. Allah commands us to stand up for our rights," he declared, emphasizing that the province had not received its rightful funds or arrears.
Gandapur demanded relief for the people by deducting the province's dues and criticized Pesco for failing to reduce load shedding as promised. "Our load shedding should be reduced, or we will take matters into our own hands," he warned, threatening to take control if the situation did not improve.
He criticized the lack of consultation with FATA and PATA, stating that no external authority could tax the province without their consent. He vowed not to accept abuse and stressed the importance of differentiating between non-filers and filers in tax matters.
Gandapur condemned corruption within WAPDA, asserting that prosperity could only come by eliminating corruption. He promised to improve the health card system and shift the focus from government jobs to business opportunities for the people.
He expressed frustration over unfinished infrastructure projects, such as schools, roads, and hospitals, urging people to report any shortcomings so they could be addressed. He criticized the Legislative Assembly for being contract-based and called for the abolition of this system. Gandapur concluded with a stern warning to the federal government: "We will demand our rights, and if we do not receive them, we will take them."
