PESHAWAR: Internal differences within the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) have reportedly intensified, with the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government halting development funds for Dera Ismail Khan, the hometown of former chief minister Ali Amin Gandapur.
According to a private TV channel report, relations between KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi and former chief minister Ali Amin Gandapur have remained strained for some time. Gandapur has also reportedly blocked the chief minister’s phone number.
National Assembly member Faisal Amin Gandapur confirmed that development funds for D.I. Khan had been withheld. He said that in the KP government’s latest release, worth Rs43 billion, D.I. Khan received only Rs80 million.
Faisal Gandapur said development work worth more than Rs500 million to Rs600 million had already been completed in the district, with payments still outstanding. However, he claimed that the projects had been allocated a zero budget for the 2026-27 fiscal year.
He further said that no funds had been allocated for the ADP scheme related to D.I. Khan during the current fiscal year, with its budget allocation also set at zero.
The reported funding cuts come amid growing political differences between the two PTI leaders.
KP CM Sohail Afridi’s Claim over NLC Exposed as False
Meanwhile, the National Logistics Corporation (NLC) has rejected Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi’s remarks regarding the cancellation of NLC projects, saying the projects were not scrapped due to poor performance but because of lack of funds and security concerns.
In a clarification, the NLC said the KP cabinet during the tenure of former chief minister Ali Amin Gandapur had cancelled several projects, but none was terminated on grounds of unsatisfactory performance.
According to the NLC, the project for four PSR barracks was cancelled due to unavailability of funds, while the Sheikh Badin-1, Sheikh Badin-2 and Lakki Marwat hostel projects were discontinued for security reasons.
The corporation said former chief minister Ali Amin Gandapur had requested the NLC in May 2025 to construct two flyovers in Dera Ismail Khan. The project, it added, is currently progressing ahead of its scheduled timeline.
The NLC said the project was contractually scheduled for completion in October 2027 but is expected to be completed by April 2027, six months ahead of schedule.
The corporation termed the chief minister’s remarks contrary to the facts and reiterated that project cancellations were based on funding and security-related issues rather than poor performance.
