PESHAWAR – Sohail Afridi has been elected as the new Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa after securing 90 votes, surpassing the required 73. Addressing the KP Assembly following his election, Afridi expressed gratitude to the founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) for trusting him with the position.
“I thank the founder of PTI for selecting a modest worker like me, whose brother, father, or uncle has no political background. I did not become chief minister through a slip of paper. I reached here through hard work. I am first a Pakistani, then a Pakhtun and tribal,” Afridi said.
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KP Assembly Proceedings, Reactions
The KP Assembly session was presided over by Speaker Babar Saleem Swati. During the session, Ali Amin Gandapur, former CM, criticized the process, saying, “Imran Khan appointed the previous chief minister, and on the day he instructed, we followed the leader’s guidance and resigned. Democratic processes should not be mocked. We will not tolerate what has been happening.”
Gandapur also highlighted financial achievements during his tenure, stating, “In 19 months, everything we did is on record. When we took office, there were only 18 days of salaries in the treasury. Today, the provincial treasury holds 218 billion rupees ($779 million US dollars). Opposition may complain that funds were not given, but the public is happy because I invested in them.”
He further praised PTI’s founder for sacrifices made for the party and pledged continued support: “Our founder is making sacrifices for us and future generations. We will stand firmly with PTI.”
Selection and Voting Process
Speaker Babar Saleem Swati outlined the constitutional procedure for electing the new leader of the house. KP Assembly, with a total of 145 members—93 government and 52 opposition—conducted voting. Sohail Afridi secured 90 votes, surpassing the required 73 to become the new chief minister.
Opposition leader Dr. Ibadullah declared that Ali Amin Gandapur’s resignation had not yet been accepted. “One cannot elect another chief minister while a sitting CM exists. The governor called Gandapur to resolve ambiguities. Why is there such rush when numbers are in their favor? This process is illegal, and we will not participate,” he said.
Speaker Swati responded, emphasizing the constitutional procedure: “Gandapur sent his resignation twice to the governor and announced it in the house today. Some wish Sohail Afridi would not become CM, but the constitution does not operate on personal desires. We will follow the law.”
Who is Sohail Afridi?
Sohail Afridi hails from District Khyber. He was first elected as a member of the provincial assembly from District Khyber in the 2024 general elections.
Afridi served as President of the Insaf Students Federation in KP for an extended period. He later joined Ali Amin Gandapur’s government as Special Assistant for Communication and Works and was later appointed Minister for Higher Education following cabinet reshuffles.
He is also a member of PTI’s Central Executive Committee, holding a key position in party decision-making.
The election of Afridi as KP CM comes amid political shifts in the province. Opposition members raised legal and procedural concerns, while PTI maintained majority support in the assembly. The new government inherits both administrative challenges and expectations of public welfare and governance continuity.
