ISLAMABAD – In a sudden political maneuver ending weeks of internal speculation, Ali Amin Gandapur announced his resignation as the Chief Minister of Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, stating he acted on the explicit instructions of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman and former Prime Minister Imran Khan. This major shake-up within the party, which has governed KP since 2013, comes amidst intense scrutiny and growing criticism over the provincial government’s handling of a sharp resurgence in militant activity and a deteriorating law and order situation across the region.
Gandapur confirmed the departure himself, emphasizing that the chief ministerial position was a “trust” given to him by Khan, a trust he was now “returning” as directed. The move was swiftly followed by an announcement from PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja, who confirmed that Gandapur had been replaced due to the worsening security crisis. Raja explicitly linked the change to a deadly incident in Orakzai district where 11 security personnel, including senior officers, were killed, stating, “Khan sahib is very sad. The incident that happened in Orakzai… there is no choice for him now but to do the change.”
The PTI’s new choice for the Chief Minister role is Sohail Afridi, a loyalist and lawmaker from the Khyber district, part of the tribal belt bordering Afghanistan. Afridi’s expected elevation is seen by party insiders as a strategic attempt to restore stability and firm control over the province. He is a member of the party’s younger leadership and has publicly advocated for stronger provincial oversight on security matters. Gandapur’s turbulent tenure had been marked by administrative friction with both the federal government and influential factions within his own party, including public disagreements with Imran Khan’s sister, Aleema Khan.
