KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur Resigns on Imran Khan’s Orders; Sohail Afridi Appointed as New CM

KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur Resigns on Imran Khan’s Orders; Sohail Afridi Appointed as New CM

Islamabad, October 8 — Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Ali Amin Gandapur announced on Wednesday that he will step down as chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) after party founder Imran Khan ordered his replacement with MPA Sohail Afridi, PTI and media reports said.

In a statement posted to his official Facebook page, Gandapur said the chief minister’s post was Imran Khan’s “amaanat” (entrustment) and that he was returning it by submitting his resignation. PTI Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram shared the same message on X. The party confirmed the move on its official X account.

PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja also told reporters in Rawalpindi that Imran Khan had chosen Sohail Afridi as the next chief minister. Raja said Imran explained the reasons for the change and ordered him to announce it.

Raja said Imran Khan was deeply worried about a sharp rise in violence in KP. He described record levels of terrorism this year and referred to the recent attack in Orakzai district. “There is no choice now but to make a change,” Raja quoted Imran as saying.

Raja added that Imran had long criticised federal policies and urged the KP government to distance itself from them. He said Imran believes three stakeholders must be engaged for peace: residents of tribal areas, the Afghan government, and the Afghan people. Raja also criticised the federal government for poor contact with the Afghan interim administration and said Imran was upset about the treatment of Afghan refugees in Pakistan.

Jaffar Express Train Attack in Balochistan Kills Several Soldiers | BRG Claims Responsibility

Earlier on Wednesday, PTI Chairman Gohar Ali Khan posted on X that he had not given any statement about Gandapur’s removal, responding to media reports that had suggested otherwise.

The development follows internal tensions in PTI. In recent days Gandapur and Imran Khan’s sister, Aleema Khan, publicly exchanged serious allegations. Gandapur accused Aleema of sowing divisions in the party. Aleema said Gandapur told her she was trying to “hijack” PTI with outside help.

Tensions had already surfaced in June, when the KP budget was passed at midnight. Gandapur had said he would seek Imran Khan’s approval before finalising the budget but went ahead on June 24 without consulting him. Senior party figures said the vote could have waited until June 27. Gandapur defended his choice, saying a delay might have opened the door to the imposition of governor’s rule.

(ANI, Dawn)