PESHAWAR: The political situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) remained uncertain on Friday as Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur left Peshawar for his hometown Dera Ismail Khan, while his resignation—submitted nearly 48 hours earlier—remained unconfirmed.
Despite bidding farewell to staff at the Chief Minister’s House, Mr Gandapur’s resignation has not yet been accepted by Governor Faisal Karim Kundi, who is currently in Islamabad and expected to return to Peshawar on Saturday. An official at the Governor’s Secretariat confirmed that the resignation letter may have been received by mail, but declined to comment on its status, citing the governor’s absence.
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In his first media interaction since stepping down, Mr Gandapur urged the swift acceptance of his resignation, warning that any delay would harm the province’s governance. “My politics was never about power but about serving the people,” Mr Gandapur said upon reaching Dera Ismail Khan, where he was welcomed by supporters at the Yarak Interchange with rose petals. “The trust of my constituents remains my greatest strength despite my resignation.” His spokesperson confirmed that a large number of Chief Minister’s House and Secretariat staff gathered to see him off, as he expressed gratitude for their cooperation during his tenure.
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Under Article 130(8) of the Constitution of Pakistan, a chief minister may resign by submitting a written resignation to the governor. However, until the governor formally accepts it, the resignation has no legal effect. Sources suggest the governor could invoke Article 133, which allows him to ask the outgoing chief minister to continue performing duties in an interim capacity until a successor assumes office.
Leaders of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) said the party is awaiting the governor’s decision before beginning the process to elect a new chief minister. “Once the resignation is approved, the election process for the new CM will begin,” a senior PTI leader said. He added that the new provincial cabinet would be finalised by PTI’s nominee Sohail Afridi after consultation with party founder Imran Khan.