mran Khan, the former prime minister and chief of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, has effected a major change in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, replacing the experienced Ali Amin Gandapur with a young Sohail Afridi as the chief minister and the party’s new poster boy. However, the federal government’s attitude toward Tehreek-i-Insaf,Afghan refugeesand military operations against Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan militants in the KP are unlikely to change anytime soon.

With this appointment, Imran Khan has raised hopesamong the youth and middle class party workers aspiring for the power corridors.

The long-awaited change in the terrorism-hit KP is being seen as an outcome of PTI infighting and the doubts about the outgoing chief minister’s loyalty. Some PTI supporters expect Afridi to stop the security forces’ operations in the KP, send a KP governmentdelegation to Afghanistan; and somehow get Khan out of jail. Fulfilling most ofthese wishesis well beyond his power.

Gandapur has proved his loyalty by not only resigning from his office as the chief minister but also pressing the governor for its acceptance and the administration of the oath of office to his successor.

Core PTI leaders have welcomed PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto’s gesturein instructing Governor Faisal Karim Kundi to administer the oath to Afridi. Some of them have also welcomed Kundi’s decision to host around 4,000 emotionally charged PTI supporters at the ceremony.

Sohail Afridi, a Peshawar University graduate in economics, has been the provincial president of Insaf Students’ Federation. He belongs to a middle-class family of the Shalobar Afridi clan of the Afridi tribe, known for loyalty and bravery. The Khyber district has been badly affected by terrorism, TTP’s influence in the area and the securityforces’ operations to oust the militants.

Afridi entered politics as a student leader.He soon grew close to Imran Khan and Murad Saeed. He is known best for being passionate about the party and Khan. Afridi was instrumental in the recent protests, because of which some cases were registered against him. He had contested the 2024 election from his home district, Khyber, and comfortably won the KP Assembly seat. Gandapur had appointed him as his advisor.

In his maiden speech after his election as CM, he kept his focus on establishing his loyalty to Khan. He said, “I have decided that I will not die in awar.I will dedicate my life instead to the love of Imran Khan.”

Sohail Afridi, a Peshawar University graduate in economics, has been the provincial president of Insaf Students’ Federation. He belongs to a middle-class family of the Shalobar Afridi clan, a sub-tribe of the Afridi tribe, known for loyalty and bravery.

He said that he was highly obliged to Khanwho had nominated him for the office although he was an ordinary party activist. He said, “I have no political background. I am not linked to a dynasty like Zardaris and Sharifs. None of my relatives is in politics. I have not become a chief minister through somebody’s recommendation. I have earned it through my commitment and hard work for the party’s cause.”

The chief minister kicked his chair and said, “This chair (chief ministership) is nothing to me compared to the love of Khan. If he asks me to kick the chair and leave, I will kick it and leave.”

His gesture of kicking the chair was lauded by the party’s legislators and other supporters. Nobody pointed out that it was a violation of the House’s decorum and a sign of disrespect to the people who had voted for him. A more courageous speaker might have asked him to apologise.

Some political analysts see the change from a different perspective. DrFaizullah Jan, head of the Mass Communication Department of Peshawar University, says, “This appears to be a big change. However, nothing much has changed.A PTI member has been replaced by another.” However, by this action, Khan has shown that he is still calling the shots, he adds.

He says that there has been some anxiety within the PTI ranks, and this change might help on that count. “I feel that nothing will change. The new cabinet has not been announced, but Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif and MuzamilAslam, known for their proximity with the powerful quarters, will remain there.”

He says that Afridi, in his address, said that he would try to stopthe military operations and strengthentrade ties with Afghanistan. “But, today, he, in an interview, expressed helplessness, saying that the operation, trade with Afghanistan, and law and order situation are federal subjects.”

He says that by replacing the chief minister, Khan has appeased some angry supporters, especially the youth in the KP. The PTI youth had been opposing Ali Amin Gandapur and demanding his replacement. They are happy and satisfied now. “Secondly, Khan always chooses weak persons for such slots. This is he making Usman Buzdar the Punjab CM. The reason behind the choice is that a weak person will not defy his orders.”

APPP insider saysthat some senior PTI leaders from the KP are unhappy over the decision. He says they were already irritated by the aggressive attitude of such young leaders. They believe that Afridi will not show them due respect.

The merits of Imran Khan’s decision might be debated over, but one thing is clear: he is bringing workers from the youth and underprivileged classes to the mainstream politics, setting a precedent for the other parties.

The writer is a senior journalist, teacher of journalism, writer and analyst. He tweets at @BukhariMubasher