PESHAWAR (Monitoring Desk) — Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s Sohail Afridi was chosen as the new chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Monday, winning 90 votes in the provincial assembly session presided over by Speaker Babar Saleem Swati.
Read also: Imran Khan picks Sohail Afridi as new KP Chief Minister after Gandapur’s exit
The governor of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Faisal Karim Kundi, declined to accept the resignation of outgoing CM Ali Amin Gandapur, who attended the assembly and received a standing welcome from government members. In his remarks Gandapur stressed the need for the rule of law, congratulated Afridi in advance and defended his tenure — saying he inherited a province with only two weeks’ salary funds but still managed to allocate development money across constituencies. He invoked the party founder’s commitment to putting Pakistan first and reiterated PTI’s solidarity with Muslims facing oppression worldwide, calling on party ranks to remain loyal and continue the struggle for the people of the province.
The opposition staged a walkout shortly after the sitting began. Voting had been scheduled as a show-of-hands at 10am with four approved candidates: PTI’s Sohail Afridi (nominated by Imran Khan), Maulana Lutfur Rehman (JUI), Arbab Zark (PPP) and Sardar Shah Jehan (PML-N). Opposition parties failed to unite behind a single nominee, and Opposition Leader Dr Ibad Ullah did not contest. The assembly has 145 members, with 73 votes needed to form the government; PTI entered the vote with support from 92 independents while opposition ranks totalled 53.
After his election, Afridi thanked his party leader and described his own humble, middle-class background and tribal roots — stressing that he rose on merit rather than a famous family name. He criticized the long-standing neglect of tribal areas and praised the PTI chairman for addressing historic marginalization by opening opportunities for hardworking people. Afridi also paid tribute to journalists he said risked their livelihoods in pursuit of truth and commemorated the late Arshad Sharif.
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Echoing party loyalty, Afridi lauded Gandapur’s resignation as an act of unity and dismissed critics who demean tribal communities. He expressed deep personal devotion to his leader, saying, “I am your admirer,” and vowed to use his office to press for the chairman’s release. Afridi warned that any attempt to move the chairman from jail without his family’s consent would provoke nationwide disruption and reiterated that protest politics would continue on his leader’s behalf. He also pledged support for the chairman’s non-political wife and promised immediate steps to secure the leader’s freedom.
The new chief minister suggested the global trend is moving toward negotiation rather than force.
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