PESHAWAR: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) nominee Sohail Afridi was elected the new Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, securing 90 votes in the provincial assembly on Sunday.
Speaker Babar Saleem Swati announced the result after the voting process concluded in the House. Prior to the ballot, he instructed that bells be rung for five minutes to ensure all absent members could return to the chamber.
The Speaker also directed lawmakers to register their attendance at the lobby gate before voting began. After a short pause, polling commenced, with Afridi winning by a comfortable margin to claim the position of leader of the House in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly.1
Earlier, former chief minister Ali Amin Gandapur said he resigned the same day Imran Khan instructed him to do so, emphasizing that the democratic process should not be turned into a mockery. “We will no longer tolerate what has been happening,” he warned.
Reflecting on his 19-month tenure, Gandapur stated that when his government took office, the provincial treasury had funds for only 18 days of salaries. “Today, there are Rs218 billion in the provincial exchequer,” he said, adding that while the opposition may criticize him for not allocating funds to them, “the people are satisfied because the money was spent on public welfare.”
He reaffirmed his loyalty to the party founder, saying, “Our leader is making sacrifices for us and for future generations — we stand firmly with the PTI.”
Addressing Opposition Leader KP Dr Ibadullah, said that the resignation of Ali Amin Gandapur has not yet been approved, as a Chief Minister cannot be elected as another Chief Minister.
Speaker KP Assembly Babar Saleem Swati said after addressing the opposition leader that Ali Amin Gundapur sent the resignation twice and announced his resignation in the House today. Some people want Sohail Afridi not to become the chief minister, but the constitution will not follow the wishes of the people.
Babar Saleem Swati, while reading the rolling in this regard, said that the procedure of the new leader will be in accordance with the constitution, after which the name of the elected chief minister will be announced.
Four candidates are in the running for the position. The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has nominated Sohail Afridi, while the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) has put forward Maulana Lutf-ur-Rehman as its candidate.
From the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Sardar Shah Jehan Yousaf is contesting, whereas the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has nominated Arbab Zarak Khan for the top provincial office.
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly comprises 145 members, including 93 from the treasury benches and 52 from the opposition.
73 votes will be needed to be elected to the Leader of the House, and consultation is underway by the opposition parties to bring a joint candidate.
Newly elected KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi hails from District Khyber and entered the provincial assembly for the first time after winning the 2024 general elections.
Afridi has been associated with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) for many years and previously served as the President of the Insaf Students Federation (ISF) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
During Ali Amin Gandapur’s tenure, Afridi held the position of Special Assistant to the Chief Minister on Communication and Works, and was later appointed as Minister for Higher Education following a reshuffle in the provincial cabinet.
He is also a member of PTI’s Central Executive Committee, reflecting his longstanding role within the party’s organizational structure.