PTI MPA Sohail Afridi on Monday was elected the new chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa during an assembly session marred by the opposition’s walkout and despite prevailing uncertainty regarding the resignation of outgoing Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur.
KP Assembly Speaker Babar Saleem Swati announced that the three opposition candidates – Maulana Lutfur Rehman of JUI-F, Sardar Shah Jehan Yousaf of the PML-N, and Arbab Zarak Khan of the PPP – all received zero votes.
Noting that three members of the assembly were out of the country, he announced that Afridi had won the election after securing 90 votes, prompting chants in favour of the PTI leader to ring out in the assembly hall.
Meanwhile, leader of the Opposition Dr Ibadullah said they did notelected accept Afridi as the new chief minister.
It should be mentioned that while Gandapur had submitted two separate resignations to Governor Faisal Karim Kundi, both have been returned over “disparate signatures”. Kundi has summoned Gandapur on October 15 (Wednesday) to settle the matter.
Separately, Speaker Swati posted on X that he had “formally sent the summary to the KP governor for [the] oath-taking”.
Despite that, institutions can not be allowed to run parliament, he said. “The parliament is the representative jirga of the province’s people,” he added.
Afridi then proceeded to deliver an emphatic speech in which he expressed his admiration of and loyalty to party founder Imran Khan.
Speaking in the assembly, Afridi said that he was grateful to Imran for choosing someone who was a mere worker, belonged to a middle-class family and did not have familial links to politics.Afridi also stated that military operations were not the “solution to terrorism” and called on the federal government to engage in dialogue.
Before announcing the results, KP Assembly Speaker Swati, in a message to Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General (DG) Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, said that “KP still holds the forces dear because soldiers are out there defending the province and continue to make sacrifices”.
Despite that, institutions can not be allowed to run parliament, he said. “The parliament is the representative jirga of the province’s people,” he added.
Afridi then proceeded to deliver an emphatic speech in which he expressed his admiration of and loyalty to party founder Imran Khan.
During his speech, Afridi also stated that military operations were not the “solution to terrorism” and called on the federal government to engage in dialogue, and involve the people of the province and the government in devising a solution.
Meanwhile, PHC on Monday sought a reply from the provincial AAG after the PTI submitted a plea seeking the nomination of the KP Assembly speaker to administer the oath to CM-elect Sohail Afridi.
“We will look at the matter again. Get a response from the governor and let us know,” the judge added.