KP finance minister says he didn’t contact IMF

PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Finance Taimur Saleem Jhagra on Saturday said he had neither made public a letter written to the Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Miftah Ismail nor contacted the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Speaking at a news conference along with former governor Shah Farman, he said that even Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz members did not agree with the policies being pursued by Miftah Ismail.

He said the federal government will have to sit with the KP government on national interests. “The issues to be discussed include KP’s share in the national Finance Commission Award and funds for the Sehat Cards scheme for the merged districts,” Jhagra added

The KP finance minister said demanding funds for the province was not treason but the right of a province.

He alleged that he tried multiple times to contact the federal finance minister but received no response from the other side.

Jhagra said he had met Miftah Ismail ahead of the federal budget to take up the issues pertaining to KP along with finances for the tribal districts.

He said it was strange that the KP government’s agreement with the IMF was being termed treason while the federal government’s accord with the same financial institution was being termed loyalty.

The KP finance minister, who also holds the health portfolio, said the provincial government would never quit raising its voice for the interests of the province.

Shah Farman said Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan would raise donations for the flood-hit people of the country despite allegations levelled by the federal government.

“Imran Khan has decided to stand by the nation and raise funds for the flood-affected people,” he said and added the floods losses would have gone down considerably had dams been constructed.