Peshawar: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly session, chaired by Speaker Babar Saleem Swati, witnessed a major political development as Sohail Afridi was elected the new Leader of the House despite the opposition’s boycott. Earlier, former Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur addressed the house and said that he had accepted the CM position at the direction of PTI founder Imran Khan and stepped down as per his leader’s instructions without any hesitation.
Gandapur emphasized that democratic principles should be respected and warned that the political chaos of recent days could no longer be tolerated. Reflecting on his 19-month tenure, he stated that when he took office, the provincial treasury had funds for only 18 days of salaries, whereas today it stands at Rs 218 billion. He added that while the opposition may claim they were not given funds, the public is satisfied because resources were used for their welfare. Gandapur reiterated that Imran Khan continues to make sacrifices for the nation and that he stands firmly with his leadership.
Opposition Boycott
Opposition Leader Dr. Ibadullah declared that Gandapur’s resignation has not yet been formally accepted, and therefore, no new chief minister could legally be elected. He added that the governor had summoned Gandapur to clarify the situation and accused the government of acting hastily. Calling the process “illegal,” the opposition walked out of the assembly session in protest.
Speaker’s Ruling and Election of the New CM
Speaker Babar Saleem Swati clarified that Ali Amin Gandapur had submitted his resignation to the governor twice and announced it again on the assembly floor. He stressed that personal preferences cannot override the constitution and that the election of the new leader of the house would proceed as per constitutional provisions. After reading out his ruling, the house voted, and Sohail Afridi was elected the new leader of the house with 90 votes.
The KP Assembly has a total of 145 members, with 93 on the treasury benches and 52 in the opposition. A minimum of 73 votes was required to elect the new chief minister, which Afridi secured comfortably.
Who is Sohail Afridi?
Sohail Afridi hails from District Khyber and was elected to the provincial assembly for the first time in the 2024 general elections. He previously served as the president of the Insaf Students Federation and later as the special assistant for communication and worked in Gandapur’s cabinet. He was later appointed as the Provincial Minister for Higher Education. Afridi is also a member of PTI’s Central Executive Committee.
