Islamabad (Web Desk): Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur called Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad on Wednesday.
According to statement issued by the PM Office, the premier assured that all justified demands of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province would be met while keeping in view the current financial situation of the country.
Welcoming the KP CM, PM Shehbaz said that all the four provinces were the components of the federation and when they moved together, the country achieved progress and development.
The KP CM also briefed the PM on the administrative affairs of the province in detail.
The meeting was attended by Minister for Foreign Affairs Ishaq Dar, Minister for Defence Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal, Minister for States and Frontier Regions Amir Muqam and other relevant senior officials.
PM Shehbaz stressed to sit together to resolve all issues, adding the public welfare would be the top priority of their collective efforts.
The federal government believed in working in harmony with all the provincial governments including Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and would foster the strong bonds.
The KP CM also expressed the resolve that the provincial government wanted to move with good intentions and was committed to play its positive role in the national development.
Addressing a press conference flanked by Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal and other Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders following a meeting with the premier, Ali Amin Gandapur said he stressed the need to hold political dialogue with party incarcerated founder Imran Khan who has been behind bars since August last year in different cases ranging from corruption to terrorism.
“I have asked the prime minister to politically engage with Imran Khan. Political engagement will lead to a political solution,” he added.
Gandapur said PM Shehbaz had also assured him that he would be allowed to meet the party founder in Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail where the authorities have beefed up security measures and barred ex-premier Imran from holding meetings owing to “threat alert”.
The KP CM said he told the premier that he had to hold a meeting with the party founder to discuss upcoming Senate polls.
Gandapur said he held discussion with the premier to resolve issues of the masses.
“The prime minister has assured that all dues of province will be cleared,” he said describing his meeting as “good and positive”.
Responding to a question related to PM Shehbaz’s recent visit to KP, Gandapur said he was not present in Peshawar during the PM’s visit.
“It’s our tradition that we take special care of guests,” the CM added.
Speaking on the occasion, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal said that PM Shehbaz had reassured the KP CM that the province’s dues would be fulfilled by the federal government.
He said the prime minister had obligated officials of the finance ministry to sit down with KP officials on the matter of dues to the province.
The minister said the prime minister also gave instructions regarding difficulties faced by the people during suhoor and iftar in KP.
