Governor Kundi Managing Ed to Sohail Afridi as New KP CM

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi on Wednesday administered the office of newly elected chief minister Sohail Afridi in the Governor’s House and marked the end of the tense political standoff and days of uncertainty in the province.

Prominent political and administrative figures, including speaking for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assembly Babar Saleem Swati, deputy Suraiya Bibi, former Governor Shah Farman, Senators, MNAs and MPAS, PTI’s provincial President Junaid Akbar and the party’s central secretary Salman Akram Raja witnessed the OATH taking.

Chief Secretary Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Shahab Ali Shah, Inspector of Police Zulfiqar Hameed, Peshawar Commissioner and Chiefs of various provincial departments were also present with several political and social personalities.

After the ceremony, the Governor congratulated Kundi new cm of assuming the charge of the office and extending his best wishes for the coming period.

However, the event fell into chaos as party workers rushed to the stage to expand well whips to the new cm and sang slogans that disturbed further procedures.

Afridi’s appointment as CM followed directives from Pakistan Tehreek-E-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan. According to party sources, Khan’s instructions on Afridi’s oath and the formation of the cabinet were transferred to the PTI parliamentary party in KP.

Read more: PTI’s Sohail Afridi chose new KP cm

Sources said the newly elected minister of chief has got full authority to elect his cabinet from the party’s elected representatives. Consultations between Afridi and the central management have already begun, and some ministers are expected to retain their portfolios, including provincial financial adviser Muzzammil Aslam.

Earlier in the day, a PTI delegation, led by the party’s central Secretary General Salman Akram Raja, called for Governor Kundi in the Governor House. The delegation included speaker Babar Saleem Swati, former Governor Shah Farman Khan, PTI Punjab leader Shaukat Basra, Provincial President Junaid Akbar Khan, Mnas Mehboob Shah, Atif Khan, Shahram Khan Tarakai and other senior leaders.

Former chief minister Ali Amin Gandapur’s resignation triggered a legal dispute after Governor Kundi refused to accept it, citing disagreements in signatures of two separate resignation, which was submitted on October 8 and October 11. The governor returned both letters and called Gandapur on October 15 for Calrification.

ALSO READ: PHC instructs the KP Governor to manage Sohail Afridis Ed tomorrow

In a public statement of X, the Governor said, the resignation had been returned with objections and released an official letter highlighting the signature match. Gandapur, meanwhile, insisted that both letters carried his true signature.

In the midst of the controversy, the provincial assembly on October 13 under the Speaker Babar Saleem Saleem called SWATI to choose a new leader of the house. Afridi, PTI -nominated, secured 90 votes to become 30 minister of chief minister in the province.

Governor Kundi had declared the election constitutionally and maintained that no new chief minister could be elected until the sitting governor’s resignation was officially accepted. PTI then approached Peshawar High Court, who gave up to Afridi’s advantage and instructed the governor to manage ed at. 16.00 on October 15th.

The court also mentioned, if the governor did not comply, the assembly speaker would be authorized to carry out oaths.

Governor Kundi, who was in Karachi at the time, rushed to Peshawar and followed the court’s orders by administering ED for Afridi.