In a “positive meeting,” CM Gandapur and PM Shehbaz broke the ice.

The KP chief minister, accompanied by Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, described his first meeting with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif as “positive” and said they spoke about law and order, public and provincial concerns, and other topics during a news conference.
CM Ali Amin Gandapur stated, “It was very positive, and he [PM Shehbaz Sharif] assured of his full support, would fulfil his promise, and would not lie.”

He emphasized that in order to address societal problems, “collaborative efforts” are required, and the federal and local governments must fulfill their obligations.

Gandapur claimed that he has requested that the premier speak with Imran Khan, the founder of the PTI, since political dialogue will result in a “political solution.”

In reference to the letter that PTI founder Imran Khan wrote to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the prime minister stated that the goal of his party’s position was not to prevent funding for Pakistan. He emphasized, “Our stance was to investigate the alleged election rigging.”

Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, for his part, voiced his optimism about the discussions, stating that the premier had given assurances that the federal government will pay the province’s debt.

According to Iqbal, the prime minister had required finance ministry representatives to meet with KP authorities on the outstanding debt to the province. “He [the premier] also provided instructions about the challenges that the people in KP faced during suhoor and iftar,” he continued.

It is important to note that, claiming security concerns, the Punjab government prevented KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur from seeing PTI founder Imran Khan in Adiala jail.

The Punjab administration insisted in a letter to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government that meetings in the Adiala jail are prohibited because of the security risk.

The letter said, “Chief Minister Ali Amin Gundapur of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa should cancel his visit to the jail.” It also stated that increased security has also been implemented at the jails in Attock, Dera Ghazi Khan, and Mianwali.