Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Sohail Afridi was elected as the new chief minister of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, securing 90 votes in the provincial assembly during Monday’s session held under tight security in Peshawar.
Afridi’s election follows a tense political environment marked by uncertainty over the resignation of former chief minister Ali Amin Gandapur and objections from the opposition over the electoral process.
The KP Assembly has 145 members, with 73 votes required for a simple majority. PTI’s Afridi far exceeded this mark, consolidating the party’s control over the province.
PTI lawmaker Asif Mehsud was unable to participate in the voting process as he is currently abroad. After the results were announced, assembly members congratulated Afridi, with many hugging him in celebration in the assembly hall.
Read: Confusion surrounds KP CM election
Afridi’s rivals for the post included Maulana Lutfur Rehman of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), Sardar Shahjahan Yousaf of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Arbab Zarak of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP).
Previously, opposition parties had debated whether to present a common candidate or boycott the vote. They had argued that elections could not be held until Gandapur’s resignation was constitutionally accepted. However, the government argued that under the Constitution, the governor does not have the authority to approve or reject a resignation.
Governor Faisal Karim Kundi had raised objections over Gandapur’s signatures and summoned him for clarification on October 15, but the election went ahead as scheduled.
Speaker Babar Saleem Swati chaired the session and earlier met Opposition Leader Dr Ibadullah to discuss procedural issues. Negotiations between the two parties continued before the vote began.
Learn more: KP Assembly Speaker convenes session to elect new House leader on October 13
Strict security measures were enforced across Peshawar, while a special breakfast was organized for PTI lawmakers at the Chief Minister’s House ahead of the session.
With Afridi’s election, the PTI strengthens its grip on the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government, overcoming legal ambiguity and political friction to secure a decisive victory.
