Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf founder Imran Khan said the change of chief minister in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa was inevitable given the circumstances of the province, warning that any external interference would invite strong protests.
In a message from Adiala jail published on
“No one should intervene so that this process can be completed as quickly as possible. If anyone tries to intervene, there will be strong protests,” Imran warned.
He said the selection of Sohail Afridi reflected Afridi’s long association with student politics, ISF and PTI ideology, and the decision reinforced the party’s narrative of including grassroots workers in decision-making instead of relying solely on elected officials.
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Imran dismissed suggestions linking the change in the provincial chief minister to his family members, calling the claims “completely false”. “This is a completely political decision on which no member of my family had any influence. No member of my family played any role in my political decisions,” he said.
He described Ali Amin Gandapur as an old and loyal colleague, but said he was involved in controversies.
“2025 was the worst year in Pakistan’s history in terms of terrorist incidents, and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa cannot bear this situation anymore,” he said, adding his hope that the new chief minister and his team would work with elected officials to adopt a comprehensive policy to eliminate terrorism and ensure lasting peace.
Imran said that he had been articulating a clear strategy to combat terrorism for two decades and by following this strategy, the PTI government had controlled the menace of terrorism to a large extent during its three-and-a-half-year rule.
Learn more: Ali Amin Gandapur resigns as KP CM, submits letter to Governor
He said the party initiated talks with the then Ashraf Ghani government and reached an agreement with the tribal communities and Afghan refugees through dialogue.
He criticized recent claims that contemporary terrorism in the country was the result of militants who established themselves under his government, calling the accusation “completely false.”
Imran further alleged that politically motivated cases were continuously and repeatedly filed against him. “Baseless cases – big and small – have been filed against me and my wife, Bushra Begum, including the Toshakhana, Al-Qadir and Cypher cases, among others, to force me into submission and make me abandon my determination for true freedom,” he added.
