Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s Sohail Afridi was elected as the new chief minister of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, securing 90 votes in the provincial assembly during Monday’s session held under tight security in Peshawar.
Following a tense political environment, Afridi’s election was marked by uncertainty over former chief minister Ali Amin Gandapur’s resignation and opposition objections regarding the election process.
The K-P Assembly comprises 145 members, with 73 votes required for a simple majority. PTI’s Afridi comfortably surpassed that mark, consolidating the party’s control over the province.
PTI lawmaker Asif Mehsud could not participate in the voting process as he is currently abroad. The announcement of the results, members of the assembly congratulated Afridi, many embracing him in celebration on the assembly floor.
Read: Confusion surrounds K-P CM’s election
Afridi’s rivals for the post included Maulana Lutfur Rehman of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), Sardar Shahjahan Yousaf from the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), and Arbab Zarak of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).
Earlier, opposition parties had debated fielding a joint candidate or boycotting the vote. They had argued that the election could not proceed until Gandapur’s resignation was constitutionally accepted. However, the government maintained that under the Constitution, the governor has no authority to approve or reject a resignation.
Governor Faisal Karim Kundi had raised objections over Gandapur’s signatures and summoned him for clarification on October 15, but the election proceeded as scheduled.
Speaker Babar Saleem Swati presided over the session and earlier met with Opposition Leader Dr Ibadullah to discuss procedural concerns. Negotiations between both sides continued before voting began.
Read More: K-P Assembly speaker convenes session to elect new leader of the house on October 13
Strict security arrangements were enforced across Peshawar, while a special breakfast was organised for PTI lawmakers at the Chief Minister’s House before the session.
With Afridi’s election, PTI strengthens its hold over Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s government, overcoming legal ambiguity and political friction to ensure a decisive victory.
