First CM from erstwhile Fata faces tough challenge of restoring peace

PESHAWAR: With the election of Muhammad Sohail Afridi on Monday, the province has got its first-ever chief minister from the erstwhile Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata), a region facing far greater challenges than the settled districts.

Law and order has been deteriorating in Khyber district, from where Sohail Afridi was elected as a member of the provincial assembly. The Tirah valley in Khyber, along with the adjoining Kurram and Orakzai districts as well as Bajaur and the entire southern belt, has witnessed frequent militant attacks in recent years. The recent clashes in areas along the Afghan border pose another major challenge for the new chief minister.

Several individuals from the erstwhile Fata have previously served as governors of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (formerly the North-West Frontier Province). However, Sohail Afridi will be the first from the region to assume the office of chief minister once he takes oath.

He has taken charge at a time when the provincial government is confronted with multiple challenges, particularly the worsening security situation and economic constraints.

Sohail Afridi, who is in his mid-30s, is among the youngest chief ministers in the province’s history. A former president of the Insaf Students Federation (ISF) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, he remained close to the founder of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) during his student years. He is also a member of the party’s Central Executive Committee.

Unlike many traditional politicians, Sohail Afridi’s rise has been remarkably swift , from a student leader to the province’s top office in just a few years.

He was elected as a Member of the Provincial Assembly for the first time in the last general elections from PK-70 (Khyber). In the polls, he secured 31,649 votes, while the runner-up, Bilawal Afridi of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), polled 7,401 votes.

Initially appointed as Special Assistant to the Chief Minister on Communication and Works, Sohail Afridi was later elevated to the position of Minister for Higher Education, and within weeks, he ascended to the top slot.

In the KP Assembly, Sohail Afridi remained vocal, frequently advocating for the release of PTI founder and former prime minister Imran Khan. He was also active in rallies and protest marches over the past few years.

Sohail Afridi is the fourth PTI chief minister to lead Khyber Pakhtunkhwa since 2013. His predecessors include Pervez Khattak from Nowshera, Mahmood Khan from Swat, and Ali Amin Gandapur from Dera Ismail Khan, who served until October 2025.