PESHAWAR:
A perfect storm of political, administrative and security crises in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa finally cost Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur his job as the jailed founder of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party on Wednesday decided to replace him with a young tribal lawmaker, Muhammad Sohail Afridi.
Political analysts say Gandapur’s ouster was long overdue as he finds himself at the center of a political storm stirred by allegations of party betrayal, sowing divisions within its ranks and even defying Imran Khan’s directives.
Earlier, Gandapur said he had resigned as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister, while party general secretary Salman Akram Raja confirmed that party founder Imran Khan had asked Sohail Afridi to take over the role of provincial chief minister.
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He also attached a copy of his resignation sent to KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi.
“When I took over as Chief Minister, the province was facing a twin challenge of financial ruin and threat of terrorism. Over the last year and a half, with the support of my cabinet, our party members and workers, my bureaucracy team and above all the guidance of Imran Khan, we have steered the province towards financial stability and thwarted the menace of militancy with resolute courage and decision-making unshakeable. We launched a mega-challenge. nation-building projects in a province that has been militarily classified as a war zone,” the letter said.
Gandapur thanked his cabinet colleagues, PTI and opposition assembly members and all officials in the KP bureaucracy, who he said had helped him deal with the “extraordinary governance challenges” in the province.
“I may not be able to say with certainty that I have handled all these challenges well, but one thing I can say with utmost certainty is that I have served the people of KP with absolute sincerity and have always acted in the best interest of Pakistan.”
This announcement follows a whirlwind of rumors and denials. Reports had started circulating on social media that Gandapur had been asked to resign, while his spokesperson initially dismissed them as baseless.
However, hours later, lawyer Salman Akram Raja, PTI general secretary, emerging from a meeting with the party’s founder at Adiala jail, confirmed what many had already begun to suspect.
“It is correct that Ali Amin Gandapur is removed from the post of chief minister,” Raja told reporters. “Sohail Afridi has been appointed as the new Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. It is the decision of the founder, and he has explained the context behind it.”
Raja said Imran’s decision was prompted by an “alarming security situation” in the province.
“There is a serious wave of terrorism in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. Even today our soldiers and officers were martyred in Orakzai,” he noted. “The founder was deeply distressed by this incident and felt there was no other choice but to make changes.”
According to PTI founding president Raja, the KP government has failed to move away from what he calls the federal government’s “misguided conflict policy”.
“The founder believes that this policy of war and conflict is wrong. We have repeatedly said that this war involves three stakeholders: the people of FATA, the Afghan government and the Afghan people. Without their trust, peace cannot be achieved.”
He said Imran was particularly troubled by the recent mass expulsion of Afghan refugees.
“The way Afghans were driven out of Pakistan after forty years of hospitality has sowed seeds of hatred; it is an unforgivable act,” he said quoting Raja.
The PTI founder felt that his “vision for the province” had not been implemented, he added.
“The KP government could not part ways with the policies of the federal government and agencies. Our people are being martyred and naturally there will be a reaction from our forces.”
“New beginning”
Further, Raja termed the founder’s decision to replace Gandapur with Sohail Afridi as “well considered” and a “new beginning”.
“He believes that under Afridi’s leadership, the federal and provincial levels will be able to adopt better policy. Sohail Afridi will guide the federal government on how to achieve peace while respecting Pakhtun traditions,” he said.
Additionally, Raja rejected suggestions that Afridi sympathized with the Taliban. “This is an unfounded assertion. Terrorism can only be resolved through dialogue; we cannot wish for the disappearance of Afghanistan, it is our neighbor.”
He added that there would be no vote of no confidence in the KP as the PTI still enjoyed a “clear majority”.
“The founder ordered Gandapur to resign. He believes it is best for Gandapur to concentrate on public policy from now on.”
“Those who commit terrorism are those who cross 2,500 kilometers, not Afghans living inside Pakistan. The federal government must speak to Kabul. Until the Afghan government engages, terrorism will not stop.”
He said the incarcerated party leader “feels proud of the sacrifices of our brave soldiers and citizens” and assured that the transition would be smooth.
“We are opening a new chapter of KP, without ambiguity,” Raja said. “The founder always says that the player’s choice depends on the situation, and he made his decision accordingly.”
However, Raja dismissed speculation that the decision stemmed from the recent dispute between Gandapur and Imran Khan’s sister Aleema Khan.
“Imran Khan has also expressed good intentions for Ali Amin. He thinks it would also be good if Ali Amin leaves office and becomes part of politics, that is, politics of the people of KP,” he said.
“Restore trust”
Later in the evening, Ali Amin Gandapur confirmed his resignation saying, “The post of chief minister was a trust of Imran Khan. In accordance with his instructions, I return this trust by resigning from my position.
He pledged full support to his successor, pledging to “fully support and cooperate with the new chief minister”.
As soon as Sohail Afridi’s appointment was announced, police were immediately deployed outside his residence in Hayatabad, with additional personnel stationed as a precautionary measure.
Family members, friends and supporters gathered at his house to offer their congratulations, while PTI leaders hailed his appointment as the start of a “new chapter” for the province.
Pertinently, the latest development comes a week after the PTI was embroiled in a controversy when Aleema Khan and Gandapur exchanged serious allegations, with the latter accusing Imran’s sister of sowing discord within the party.
The dispute began when Aleema claimed that Gandapur told her jailed brother that she was trying to hijack the PTI with the help of military intelligence (MI) and the “establishment”.
His remarks come just a day after Gandapur held a two-hour meeting with the former prime minister in prison and left without speaking to the media.
In a subsequent video statement responding to Aleema’s accusations, Gandapur claimed that campaigns were being carried out to declare her PTI president. He admitted to informing Imran that such campaigns and programs were harming the party.
The exchange of allegations between Aleema, who came to prominence after her brother’s imprisonment in August 2023 and regularly visits him at Adiala jail, and Gandapur has fueled speculation about deep fissures between the PTI leadership and Imran Khan’s family members.
Earlier, in June, similar fissures appeared when the passage of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s fiscal budget revealed growing internal divisions within the PTI.
