MPA Sohail Afridi next KP chief minister
News Desk
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has removed Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Ali Amin Gandapur from his post, , marking a significant development in the province’s political landscape. PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja made this announcement after meeting with Imran Khan.
According to party insiders, the PTI leadership has shortlisted MPA Sohail Afridi as the replacement for Gandapur. Afridi, a relatively low-profile but loyal party member, is said to enjoy the confidence of the party’s central leadership and is being viewed as a consensus candidate to restore stability within the provincial setup.
The decision comes amid mounting internal rifts within the PTI, particularly between Gandapur and some members of the party’s central leadership. The chief minister had recently engaged in a public war of words with Aleema Khan, sister of PTI founder Imran Khan. Gandapur accused her of “working with agencies,” while Aleema Khan in turn alleged that Gandapur had deviated from the party’s core principles.
These exchanges exposed deepening fissures within the party, which have been simmering since the May 9 unrest and subsequent arrests of key PTI figures. Party insiders suggest that Imran Khan himself has expressed dissatisfaction over the performance of the KP government, particularly regarding governance issues and the handling of internal party affairs.
Ali Amin Gandapur, a fiery and outspoken politician, had been appointed as KP chief minister in early 2024 following PTI’s sweeping victory in the provincial elections. His tenure, however, has been marked by controversies, administrative challenges, and tensions between the provincial and central wings of the party.
If confirmed, Gandapur’s removal would signal a major reshuffle within PTI’s provincial leadership—one aimed at consolidating control and easing tensions between various party factions. Political observers believe the move could have far-reaching implications for PTI’s organizational stability ahead of possible national-level political developments.
For now, the party’s silence has only added to speculation, as KP awaits clarity on whether the province is set for another change at the top.
