PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi confirmed receiving the resignation of Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur on Saturday.
According to official sources, the first resignation letter had reportedly gone missing, prompting Gandapur to write a second one, which was personally delivered to the Governor’s House by Adviser on Anti-Corruption, Brig. (retd) Musaddiq Abbasi. The Governor’s House also issued a receipt for the resignation, timestamped at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday. Governor Kundi, in a statement, said that Chief Minister Gandapur’s handwritten resignation dated October 11 had been received and that legal and constitutional scrutiny of the document was underway. “My legal team will review the resignation from a constitutional perspective, and necessary action will follow in accordance with the law,” the governor said.
Meanwhile, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Secretary General Salman Akram Raja, flanked by provincial law minister Aftab Alam and Advocate General Shah Faisal Utmanzai, confirmed during a press conference at the provincial assembly that the resignation had been received by the governor. “The governor himself has acknowledged receipt of the resignation in a tweet, and the Governor’s House has issued a formal receipt,” Raja stated. Citing Article 130 (Clause 8) of the Constitution, Raja explained that a chief minister’s resignation did not require the governor’s approval or a formal notification. “Under Article 130(8), the chief minister simply tenders his resignation, which takes effect automatically. The chief minister is not a subordinate of the governor, and there is no need for formal approval,” he added. Raja announced that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly session has been convened for Monday, October 13, to elect a new leader of the house. “Nomination papers for the new chief minister can be submitted by Sunday afternoon until 3 p.m.,” he said, adding that PTI’s nominated candidate, Sohail Afridi, was a determined young leader who would lead the province with new energy and commitment. Raja further said that the new cabinet, to be formed under Sohail Afridi’s leadership, would reflect both continuity and inclusion of new faces, in line with the directives of PTI founder Imran Khan. “We have no sympathy for terrorists; our priority is lasting peace in the province,” he added.
Earlier, on October 8, 2025, Gandapur had tendered his resignation and sent it to the governor, but the document reportedly did not reach its destination, sparking confusion and fears of a constitutional crisis in the province. The issue was resolved after Gandapur submitted a second handwritten resignation, personally delivered by Brig. (retd) Musaddiq Abbasi.
Meanwhile, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly speaker has called a sitting of the assembly on Monday, October 13, at 10:00 a.m., which was earlier scheduled for Monday, October 20 at 2:00 p.m., according to a notification issued on Saturday. It said that the speaker has called the sitting of the assembly while exercising the powers conferred upon him under paragraph (b) of rule 31 of the Provincial Assembly of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Procedure and Conduct of Business Rules, 2025.
Meanwhile, the leadership of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has expressed full confidence in Sohail Afridi as their nominee for the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
According to sources, the extraordinary meeting took place at the Speaker’s House and was attended by PTI General Secretary Salman Akram Raja, former National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser, KP Assembly Speaker Babar Saleem Swati, provincial president Junaid Akbar, and a large number of party lawmakers. Sohail Afridi also participated in the meeting, where the party leadership and assembly members officially named him their candidate for chief minister. During the meeting, it was also decided to follow the constitutional and parliamentary procedures for electing the new CM. Speaking after the meeting, PTI provincial president Junaid Akbar said that the party currently has 92 votes and is aiming for a total of 100. He also confirmed that efforts are underway to build alliances with other parties for support in the election.
Meanwhile, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan expressed optimism that the process for the election of the new chief minister would be completed smoothly. Talking to Geo News, Barrister Gohar expressed the hope that the election of the new chief minister would take place in an amicable and orderly manner. “Our top priority is to ensure that all matters are resolved smoothly,” he emphasized. Addressing concerns about possible constitutional complications, the PTI chairman said, “If any such issues arise, the courts will address and resolve them.” Barrister Gohar reiterated that the person nominated by the PTI founder (Imran Khan) would be the one to assume the office of chief minister. “The entire PTI leadership stands firmly by the directives of the party founder,” he maintained. He went on to add that he was in constant contact with the provincial leadership and party lawmakers, and that a meeting regarding the chief minister’s election was also held.
Barrister Gohar reaffirmed PTI’s commitment to maintaining unity within the party and ensuring that the transition of leadership in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa takes place without internal rifts or disruptions.