PESHAWAR/ISLAMABAD: As the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assembly session is convened today (Monday) to elect a new Leader of the House, confusion over Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur’s resignation deepened on Sunday after Governor Faisal Karim Kundi raised objections over “disparate and un-alike signatures” on Gandapur’s resignation letters.
In a letter addressed to CM Gandapur, the KP Governor asked Gandapur to visit Governor House on October 15 at 3:00pm “so that authenticity of the alleged resignations could be verified and the matter is settled as per the mandate of the Constitution.” Kundi said he was out of city and would return to Peshawar on the eve of October 15.
Ali Amin Gandapur in a social media post insisted that both resignations carried his “authentic signatures”. “Finally the resignation submitted on 8th Oct previously denied by Governor office also acknowledged. I hereby Reconfirm that both Resignations (8th Oct & 11th Oct 2025) are bearing My Authentic Signatures,” he wrote on X.
KP Assembly Speaker Babar Saleem Swati has convened a provincial assembly session today to elect a new Leader of the House, as candidates for the chief minister’s office submitted nomination papers on Sunday.
The assembly session was initially adjourned until October 20. However, the resignation of chief minister Ali Amin Gandapur prompted the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to call the session earlier than scheduled.
Governor Faisal Karim Kundi has yet to accept the handwritten resignation submitted by Gandapur to the Governor’s House on Saturday evening. The resignation was received and acknowledged the same day.
The provincial assembly session is scheduled for 3:00 pm today, although it may be delayed if the governor does not formally accept Ali Amin Gandapur’s resignation before then.
Gandapur tendered his resignation on October 8 and vacated the Chief Minister’s House in compliance with the directive of PTI founding chairman Imran Khan. Constitutional and legal experts assert that the election of a new Leader of the House cannot proceed until the incumbent chief minister’s resignation is formally accepted.
PTI’s nominated candidate for chief minister, Sohail Afridi, submitted his nomination papers at the provincial assembly secretariat on Sunday. He was accompanied by KP Assembly Deputy Speaker Suriya Bibi, provincial ministers and other PTI MPAs.
Other contenders from the opposition benches, including Maulana Lutf-ur-Rehman of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUIF), Sardar Shahjehan Yousaf from Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN), and Arbab Zarak Khan of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) submitted their nomination papers as well.
According to an official at the secretariat, the nomination papers of all the candidates were scrutinised and declared valid.
The ruling PTI enjoys the support of 92 members in the 145-member House, positioning it to easily secure the Leader of the House slot. Despite that, the party’s provincial and central leadership has formed a delegation to try and ensure that its nominee is elected unopposed.
The PTI delegation visited the residences of JUIF chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, federal minister and PMLN provincial president Amir Muqam, and the Awami National Party (ANP) leadership at Bacha Khan Markaz to seek their support.
While the ANP has remained non-committal, the rest of the opposition parties in the KP Assembly have vowed to field a joint candidate against the PTI nominee.
The combined opposition commands the support of 53 members, including all those on reserved seats for women and minorities.
Meanwhile, President of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Junaid Akbar, urged Governor Faisal Karim Kundi to fulfill his constitutional responsibility and accept the resignation of Ali Amin Gandapur from the chief minister’s office without delay.
He warned that any obstruction in the process would trigger a strong reaction from the party.
“Though there is little hope from the courts, PTI is prepared to pursue legal action if hurdles are placed. We will utilise all available options, including protests and legal measures,” the PTI leader cautioned while talking to Geo News.
Junaid Akbar questioned the constitutional authority of the governor, saying, “There is no provision in the Constitution requiring the governor to approve a resignation. If the governor delays acceptance for a year, that means the province will remain without a chief minister.”
Citing legal experts, Junaid Akbar argued that once a chief minister resigns, the resignation is deemed effective. He criticised the governor for allegedly acting under external influence and not doing justice to his constitutional role.
Speaking about political engagement, he praised the positive response from the Awami National Party (ANP), stating that the party understands the tradition of political jirgas.
“We want Sohail Afridi to be elected unopposed as chief minister to maintain political harmony in the province. We want to work collectively with all political parties,” he added.
The PTI provincial chief expressed optimism about ANP’s stance, noting that its central leadership will decide after consultations. “They have assured us that they will not become part of any horse-trading,” he concluded.
Meanwhile, ANP Khyber Pakhtunkhwa president Mian Iftikhar Hussain told Geo News that the PTI leaders participated respectfully whenever ANP hosted all parties conferences.
“Currently, the PTI is facing a difficult situation in the province. We believe no unconstitutional action should take place in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,” said Mian Iftikhar.
He said that a decision on the chief minister’s election will be made after consultations with party elders. “We must learn to tolerate each other and move forward,” he emphasised.
However, ANP’s central spokesperson, Engineer Ihsanullah, told this correspondent that his party had decided not to participate in the election for the chief minister and that party lawmakers will not cast votes in the assembly session. “We will not be part of any horse-trading, and we are not in favour of PTI’s nominee Sohail Afridi either,” he explained.
Meanwhile, in a bid to get cooperation of the Pakistan Peoples Party in election of Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a delegation of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) called on Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Faisal Karim Kundi at his Islamabad residence on Sunday evening.
The delegation comprised MNAs Asad Qaiser, Atif Khan, Ali Asghar Khan Jadoon, Junaid Akbar and Dr Amjad Khan, while PPP’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa President Muhammad Ali Shah Bacha was also present during the meeting.
The PTI delegation discussed the upcoming election for the new Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and sought PPP’s cooperation, acknowledging the PPP’s consistent role in upholding democratic traditions.
Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Faisal Karim Kundi assured the delegation that he would ensure complete constitutional and legal compliance while processing the resignation of outgoing Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur. He said political parties could move forward through consultation for the province’s development and stability.
The governor emphasised the need for collective efforts to maintain lasting peace and provide better facilities to the people of the province, adding that the PPP has always been a strong advocate for democracy and its continuity.
