PTI’s Afridi elected KP CM despite opposition’s boycott over ‘unlawful’ process

PESHAWAR: Amid controversy surrounding outgoing chief minister Ali Amin Gandapur’s resignation, PTI’s Sohail Afridi on Monday was elected as new chief executive of the province despite opposition’s boycott of the process.

Afridi secured 90 votes, whereas Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl’s (JUI-F) Maulana Lutfur Rehman, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) Sardar Shahjehan Yousaf and Pakistan People’s Party’s (PPP) Arbab Zarak Khan got no votes at all as their members staged a walkout from the session.

The assembly session, chaired by Speaker Babar Saleem Swati, was boycotted by the opposition members who staged a walk out with opposition leader Dr Ibadullah Khan saying that they do not want to be part of any “unlawful” process.

The election of the new KP CM remains shrouded in controversy after Governor Faisal Karim Kundi rejected now former CM Ali Amin Gandapur resignation, citing objections over the signature’s authenticity.

Gandapur stepped down from the key office last week on the directives of incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan on October 8.

The nomination of Afridi, a young PTI leader who began his political career in 2015 and was elected as MPA in 2024 general elections, has prompted a strong reaction from the federal government, which has accused the PTI of having a soft corner for terrorists.

Governor’s objections ‘unconstitutional’

Addressing the controversy surrounding the legality of Gandapur’s resignation,

KP Assembly Speaker Babar Saleem Swati, in his ruling, termed the objections raised by Governor Kundi as “unconstitutional”.

The speaker said that Gandapur tendered his resignation under Clause 8 of Article 130 of the Constitution 1973.

“Gandapur sent two resignations to the governor on October 8 and then on October 11. Both resignations were signed by Gandapur, and there is no difference between the signature in the first and second resignation,” the speaker ruled.

Speaker Swati said that all the requirements for the resignation of Gandapur were in “accordance with the Constitution and law”, citing a court’s decision in the Hafiz Hamdullah case.

“It is my responsibility to protect the Constitution and the law.”

He said that a few people do not wish to see Sohail Afridi becoming the chief minister, adding that constitutional affairs cannot be run on the “wishes of the people, but as per the constitution”

This is a developing story and is being updated with more details.