Political Developments in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly is set to convene on October 13 for the election of the next chief minister. Governor Faisal Karim Kundi confirmed the receipt of Ali Amin Gandapur’s resignation from the position, which was announced on Saturday.
KPA Speaker Babar Saleem Swati shared the schedule for Monday’s session on his X account. The agenda includes the election of the next chief minister. This comes after Gandapur stated he had resigned from his role as provincial chief executive. The party’s general secretary, Salman Akram Raja, confirmed that Imran Khan, the party founder, directed Sohail Afridi to assume the CM’s role.
However, there were complications with the resignation letter. It was reportedly lost in bureaucratic processes, with the Governor’s house initially denying having received it. Later, the Governor’s office acknowledged receiving the handwritten resignation advice from the CM at 2:30 pm on the day of the announcement.
The Governor emphasized that the resignation would undergo verification and meet all legal requirements before being processed through constitutional procedures. He also mentioned that the Governor’s House will ensure transparency and adherence to all constitutional and legal norms during this process.
According to sources, the Governor’s House has completed initial legal formalities related to the Chief Minister’s resignation. However, Governor Faisal Karim Kundi has decided to seek a final constitutional opinion on Monday.
PTI Seeks Support from JUI
Meanwhile, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has reached out to Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) for support in the upcoming election of the Chief Minister of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. A PTI delegation visited the JUI central office to discuss cooperation and seek backing for PTI’s nominated candidate, Sohail Afridi.
During the meeting, PTI formally requested JUI’s support for Sohail Afridi in the provincial assembly’s upcoming session. Junaid Akbar, a PTI representative, stated that the party aimed to “unite the province” and hoped JUI would support their candidate in the spirit of cooperation.
“We are not just seeking votes—we want to form a joint government that can deliver for the people,” he emphasized. Akbar further revealed that PTI had also established contact with the Awami National Party (ANP) and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) as part of broader efforts to build consensus on future governance.
“We will also visit Bacha Khan Markaz,” Akbar confirmed, referring to the ANP’s headquarters.
Criticism of PTI
Separately, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar criticized the PTI, stating that its members showed no regard for the sacrifices of martyrs or the integrity of Pakistan. He claimed the party’s only interest lies in creating division in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, worsening the situation, and providing safe havens to terrorists.
Tarar accused the founder of PTI and his party of acting as facilitators and supporters of terrorists at both national and international levels. He argued that their conduct has always been detrimental to the country’s unity and stability.
He highlighted the sacrifices made by Pakistanis in the war against terrorism, citing the APS tragedy as an example of courage and sacrifice. “The children of APS wrote the story of sacrifice with their blood,” he said, adding that the people of Khuzdar and countless others also laid down their lives for Pakistan.
