PESHAWAR: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) nominee Sohail Afridi has been elected as the new Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa after securing 90 votes in the provincial assembly session held on Monday. The election, however, was marred by controversy as opposition parties boycotted the process, calling it “unconstitutional.”
During the session, Speaker Babar Saleem Swati announced Sohail Afridi’s victory as the new Leader of the House. He stated that the election was conducted in line with the constitutional requirements. “The chief minister is the constitutional head of the province and must be elected as per the law,” Swati remarked.
Opposition leaders, including Dr. Ibadullah, Maulana Lutfur Rehman, and Akram Durrani of JUI-F, walked out in protest before the voting began. Dr. Ibadullah declared the election “illegal,” insisting that he still recognized Ali Amin Gandapur as the legitimate chief minister. “Electing another CM while one is already in office is unconstitutional. We refuse to participate in this process,” he said before leaving the house.
Outgoing Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur congratulated Sohail Afridi on his election, saying that PTI’s mission remained focused on peace and justice. He confirmed that he had resigned following the instructions of PTI’s founder, urging the opposition not to disrupt democratic procedures.
Earlier, Governor Faisal Karim Kundi raised concerns over Gandapur’s resignation, pointing out mismatched signatures on two versions of his resignation letters. He asked Gandapur to appear in person on October 15 to verify the document. Despite the pending verification, the assembly proceeded with the election.
In the 145-member house, PTI and its allies command 93 seats, while the opposition holds 52. A simple majority of 73 votes was required to elect the new chief minister.
In other news read more about Ali Amin Gandapur’s Resignation as KP Chief Minister Accepted Amid Political Turmoil
With Sohail Afridi now leading Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, political analysts believe the province is set for a new phase of governance amid continuing political tension.
