PTI’s Sohail Afridi elected as CM of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, thanks Imran Khan

Peshawar: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf candidate Sohail Afridi was on Monday elected as the new Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province during an assembly session marred by the opposition's walkout.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly Speaker Babar Saleem Swati proceeded with voting despite the opposition's walkout.

Afridi secured 90 out of 145 votes, while rival candidates from Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (F)(JUI-F), Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N), and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) received none.

Grateful to party founder Imran Khan, Afridi said, “He chose someone who was a mere worker, belonged to a middle-class family, and had no familial links to politics.” “And neither Bhutto, Zardari, nor Sharif are attached to my name,” Afridi added, expressing pride in his tribal roots and background.

In his maiden address, Afridi declared, “Khyber Pakhtunkhwa belongs only to Imran Khan,” asserting that “no military operation can be conducted in KP if his leader is against it.” “I have neither wealth nor position to lose,” he said. “If Imran Khan is shifted elsewhere without his family’s consent, we will shut down the entire country.”

He urged the federal government to include the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government and tribal communities in decisions regarding Afghanistan, saying, “If you take them into confidence, I assure you the response will be positive.”

Afridi warned against ignoring the province’s warnings on terrorism. “When we resisted and held rallies, some people fled while others stayed. When we asked why terrorism was returning, we were told we were lying.”

Rejecting the use of force, Afridi said, “As our leader opposes military operations, I assure you that no operation will take place under our watch.” “Military operations are not the solution. You conducted several in the past, yet terrorism resurfaced. Problems cannot be solved through decisions made behind closed doors for personal interests,” he asserted.

He called for collective decision-making. “If you say there is terrorism in KP, then you must take the provincial government, elected representatives, local governments, and tribal people into confidence." "Decisions made with their input will bring peace,” Afridi said, emphasising dialogue and inclusion over unilateral policies.

Thanking PTI founder Imran Khan, Afridi said, “We do not just do politics, we love our leader. Imran Khan gave dignity and awareness to the tribal people.” "I assure you, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa belongs only to Imran Khan, and his word will prevail here,” he reiterated, drawing applause from the treasury benches.

He described Imran Khan as “not just a national leader but a globally popular figure who understood the grievances of tribal communities.” "Today, all tribal people are grateful to him,” Afridi said, vowing to end decades of neglect of the tribal areas.

"I did not become Chief Minister through a slip of paper. The tribal areas have long been deprived and neglected, adding that now that deprivation will end,” he said.

Opposition parties, however, termed the election “unconstitutional.”

Leader of the Opposition Dr Ibadullah said, “According to this Constitution, the procedure is that first, your resignation is accepted. Then the administration denotifies the cabinet.”

He claimed that former CM Amir Ali Gandapur’s resignation had not been accepted and called the new election “unconstitutional.”

The opposition then walked out of the assembly.

The speaker of the provincial assembly ruled otherwise, saying Gandapur had sent his resignation twice and announced it in his speech. “The Constitution does not function according to people’s wishes,” he remarked.

Earlier, Governor Faisal Karim Kundi had returned Gandapur’s resignation letters over “disparate signatures” and summoned him on October 15 to clarify the matter.

In a post on social media platform X late night on Sunday, Kundi said that the chief minister's resignation had been “returned with observation”.