By Wasif Ali Khan
TWA
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PESHAWAR, PAKISTAN — Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmaker Sohail Afridi was elected as the new chief minister of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa on Monday, securing 90 votes in the provincial assembly session held under tight security in Peshawar.
Afridi’s victory came after days of political tension following former chief minister Ali Amin Gandapur’s contested resignation and opposition objections over the election process.
With 145 members in the K-P Assembly and 73 votes needed for a simple majority, Afridi’s win comfortably consolidated PTI’s control over the province. PTI lawmaker Asif Mehsud could not cast his vote as he is currently abroad.
The announcement of the results was met with applause and celebration as fellow legislators congratulated Afridi on the assembly floor.
Afridi defeated rivals Maulana Lutfur Rehman of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), Sardar Shahjahan Yousaf of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), and Arbab Zarak of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).
Opposition parties had earlier debated fielding a joint candidate or boycotting the vote, arguing that the election should not proceed until Gandapur’s resignation was formally accepted. The government, however, insisted that under the Constitution, the governor lacks the authority to approve or reject a resignation.
Governor Faisal Karim Kundi had questioned Gandapur’s signatures and summoned him for clarification on October 15, but the election went ahead as scheduled.
Speaker Babar Saleem Swati presided over the session, meeting earlier with Opposition Leader Dr Ibadullah to address procedural concerns. Negotiations continued until the voting began.
Strict security measures were in place across Peshawar, and a breakfast was hosted for PTI lawmakers at the Chief Minister’s House before the session.
Author
Wasif Ali Khan, a seasoned journalist, currently serves as the Editor of The World Ambassador and also holds the position of Bureau Chief at CNN Urdu.
