Peshawar: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) MPA Sohail Afridi was elected as the new Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) today in a heated assembly session marred by a walkout from opposition parties and questions over the legality of the election.
The session, presided over by KP Assembly Speaker Babar Saleem Swati, went ahead despite fierce objections from opposition lawmakers who claimed the election was held in violation of the Constitution due to the lack of formal acceptance of outgoing CM Ali Amin Gandapur’s resignation.
Afridi secured 90 votes, well above the required 73 in the 145-member assembly, amidst loud chants of support from PTI members. Speaker Swati declared Afridi the winner after announcing that opposition nominees — Maulana Lutfur Rehman (JUI-F), Sardar Shah Jehan Yousaf (PML-N), and Arbab Zarak Khan (PPP) — received zero votes. Three assembly members were reported to be abroad and did not participate.
However, the opposition rejected the process, walking out in protest. Leader of the Opposition Dr. Ibadullah, holding up a copy of the Constitution, argued that the election was invalid as Gandapur's resignation had not yet been accepted by the governor and his cabinet remained undenotified.
“In the presence of an existing chief minister, the election of a new one is unconstitutional,” Ibadullah said, urging the speaker to delay proceedings until proper legal steps were completed. “Why rush it if you have the numbers?” he questioned before leading the walkout.
Speaker Swati dismissed the objections, claiming Gandapur had submitted his resignation twice — including publicly in a speech — and ruled that the election was constitutionally valid.
The political storm in KP continues to intensify, with critics accusing the ruling party of bypassing constitutional norms, while PTI insists it has followed the law and maintains a clear majority in the provincial assembly.
