Gandapur gets marching orders; Imran names Afridi as KP CM

PESHAWAR/ ISLAMABAD: The controversy over Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur’s resignation ended when PTI founder chairman Imran Khan replaced him with Sohail Afridi as his successor on Wednesday.

In a statement, Ali Amin Gandapur portrayed the chief minister’s role as a trust entrusted to him by Imran Khan, which he is relinquishing as directed. “I fully support and endorse Sohail Afridi. We will advance united in our pursuit to secure the release of our founding chairman and uphold the party’s policies,” he declared. Gandapur will formally submit his resignation to the governor, triggering the dissolution of the provincial cabinet and paving the way for the assembly to elect a new chief minister.

Sohail Afridi, known for his hardline, anti-establishment stance, has frequently targeted the federation and establishment in fiery assembly speeches. Considered close to Imran Khan and part of the Gandapur group, he was recently promoted from Special Assistant for Communication and Works to Minister for Higher Education.

Earlier, PTI leaders and lawyers met Imran Khan at Adiala Jail, where Rai Suleman, Bushra Bibi’s lawyer, informed the media that Imran had decided to remove Gandapur and appoint PTI MPA Sohail Afridi as the new chief minister. PTI’s central secretary general, Salman Akram Raja, confirmed the decision, stating that Imran Khan had ordered Gandapur’s removal and nominated Afridi, citing a severe wave of terrorism in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. “Today, our officers and soldiers were martyred in Orakzai. The provincial government was told to distance itself from the federal government’s misguided policies, but this did not happen. Imran Khan expressed grief over the major attack on the army and held Gandapur responsible,” Raja said. He added that Imran believed the harsh expulsion of Afghan nationals was unnecessary and noted that Bilawal Bhutto, as foreign minister for over a year, never visited Afghanistan. Raja emphasized that dialogue was the only solution to end terrorism and expressed the hope that Afridi would guide the federal government to prioritise protecting citizens’ lives and property. He clarified that Imran Khan ordered Gandapur’s resignation for strategic reasons, marking a new policy phase, and assured a smooth transition as Afridi would be elected by the assembly.

Raja also noted that several cases had been filed against Aleema Khan, prompting Imran to designate his other sister, Noreen Khanum, to deliver his messages.

PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan stated there was no forward bloc within the party, and Imran Khan’s instructions would be fully implemented in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. “No matter who the candidate is, the PTI government will remain in the province with its two-thirds majority,” Gohar said. He confirmed that Gandapur would send his resignation to the governor via a summary and that the party’s 91 MPAs, despite facing hardships and rejecting lucrative offers, remained united and loyal to Imran Khan, ensuring a PTI government with a two-thirds majority. Gohar praised Gandapur’s services, noting his tireless work for the party and province, and affirmed that the province would progress under Imran’s vision with a PTI-led government.

Gohar clarified that the party opposed terrorism and believed ending it was the federal government’s responsibility, not the provincial government’s, which never authorised large-scale evictions. He stressed that Gandapur’s replacement was not due to failure but was at Imran’s discretion.

With Gandapur’s ouster, the era of erratic governance in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa appears to have ended. Following the 2023 general elections, many in the province hoped for an experienced leader to address ongoing crises. However, Gandapur’s appointment surprised many, and his nearly two-year tenure was marked by confusion and a lack of direction. The province saw little progress in vision, strategy, or development planning. Gandapur remained disengaged from governance and showed minimal interest in long-term growth, notably never visiting remote districts like Chitral, leaving such tasks to bureaucrats, often the chief secretary, underscoring a disconnect with the populace. The immediate trigger for his removal is reportedly his failure to secure the release of the party founder, which angered Aleema Khan. Tensions escalated when Gandapur allegedly accused Aleema of acting as an agent, deepening internal rifts and hastening his political exit.

Ali Amin Gandapur said in his resignation, “In respectful compliance of the orders of my leader, and Founding Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, Imran Khan, it is my honour to tender my resignation from the Office of the Chief Minister, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in pursuance of Article 130 sub-clause (6) of the Constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan.

“When I took over as chief minister, the province was faced with a dual challenge of financial ruin and menace of terrorism. Over the last one and a half years, with the support of my cabinet, our party members and workers, my team of bureaucracy and above all, guidance of Imran Khan, we steered the province to financial stability and countered the menace of militancy with resolute courage and unwavering decision-making. We initiated mega projects of nation-building in a province that was militarily categorised as a warzone.

“I thank all my cabinet colleagues, members of the Assembly -- both from PTI as well as opposition -- and all officers of KP bureaucracy who helped me face extraordinary challenges of governance in KP. I may not be able to claim with certainty that I did well on all these challenges but one thing that I can say with utmost certainty is that I served with absolute sincerity to the people of KP and always acted in the best interest of Pakistan. Pakistan Zindabad, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Paindabad.”