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PESHAWAR, Oct 13 (APP):Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader, Sohail Afridi, was elected as the 23rd Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Monday, securing 90 votes that were well above the required 73 in a provincial assembly session marred by opposition boycott and legal controversy.
Sohail Afridi, who becomes the fourth PTI leader to hold the CM office following Pervez Khattak, Mahmood Khan, and Ali Amin Gandapur, reaffirmed his government’s commitment to safeguarding public rights and accelerating development, especially in the tribal districts.
However, the joint opposition has announced plans to challenge the CM election in court, citing irregularities in the resignation process of former CM Ali Amin Gandapur. The opposition leader, Dr Ibadullah, reiterated that a petition will be filed tomorrow in court, calling the election “unconstitutional.”
The dispute centers around whether Gandapur’s resignation was formally accepted. KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi expressed doubts over the authenticity of Gandapur’s resignation letters, claiming discrepancies in signatures and stating that the process was not yet complete.
“Until the resignation is officially accepted, the election of a new Chief Minister is unconstitutional,” the Governor asserted. He questioned how the assembly could proceed with the election before finalizing the previous CM’s resignation and how notification of the CM can be issued.
Speaker Babar Saleem Swati, however, overruled objections, claiming that Gandapur had submitted his resignation twice to the Governor’s House and again on the floor of the assembly and therefore, it stood accepted.
In his first address to the assembly as CM-elect, Sohail Afridi vowed to transform the tribal areas into hubs of peace and prosperity. Expressing pride in his humble, middle-class background, he said he represents not just a political party but the aspirations of ordinary Pakistanis.
“I didn’t come from a political dynasty. I come from the tribal districts. I am proud of my roots and above all, I am a patriotic Pakistani,” Afridi said.
He thanked PTI founder for placing trust in him and praised Ali Amin Gandapur’s “graceful resignation,” calling it a dignified political step.
Sohail Afridi reiterated his loyalty to PTI’s leadership, declaring that he has no personal greed for power, cars, or bungalows and would step aside the moment his leader asks him to.
Voiced serious concerns over reports suggesting Imran Khan had been moved without prior consultation with his family or party. He warned that if such a move happens again, we will shut down the entire country in protest.
Paying tribute to late journalist Arshad Sharif, Afridi emphasized that peace during PTI’s previous tenure was a result of inclusive policies. He said that true stability comes through dialogue and public support.
“The state is the people, and the people are the state,” he said, pledging to focus on development, equity, and intellectual progress in the tribal areas.
He also called for the release of Imran Khan, his wife Bushra Bibi, and other detained PTI members, while urging a review of Pakistan’s Afghan policy in consultation with KP’s government and tribal elders.
The opposition, including JUI-F, PML-N, and PPP, boycotted the election proceedings after Speaker Swati upheld the resignation of Gandapur. The speaker maintained that constitutional processes had been followed and criticized attempts to block Afridi’s election.
Earlier, Ali Amin Gandapur addressed the assembly, explaining that he resigned at the direction of Imran Khan. He defended his tenure, noting an increase in provincial treasury reserves from 18 days’ worth of salaries to Rs 218 billion.
During opposition leader Dr Ibadullah’s speech, uproar broke out in the assembly gallery, prompting the Speaker to warn spectators to maintain order or face removal.
The KP Assembly comprises 145 members, ie, 93 from the government side and 52 from the opposition. Following the opposition’s boycott, PTI’s Sohail Afridi secured 90 votes and was declared successful.
PTI had taken oaths from its MPAs to vote for Afridi, and KP PTI President Junaid Akbar had warned of public backlash against any member betraying the party founder’s nominee.