KP CM Gandapur announces stepping down, vows complete support for nominee Afridi

ISLAMABAD: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur has announced his decision to step down, extending full support to his party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's (PTI), nominee Sohail Afridi.

"I am resigning from the office of chief minister on the instructions of our party founder," Gandapur said in a statement.

He expressed full support for provincial minister Sohail Afridi — tipped to be the next chief minister, saying that he would have his complete "backing and support."

Gandapur added that all PTI members would move forward together for the release of the party founder and the implementation of the party’s policies.

His statement comes shortly after PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja confirmed Gandapur's removal, saying that the decision was made by the party’s founder.

"It is correct that Ali Amin Gandapur is being removed from the office of chief minister," Raja told journalists in Rawalpindi, adding that Afridi has been nominated as the new chief minister of KP.

Expressing confidence in the new provincial leadership, he said: "We expect Sohail Afridi to guide and advise the federal government on these matters."

He added that the PTI founder had directed Gandapur to resign, saying the move was in his own best interest. "There will be no difficulty — Gandapur will resign, and the assembly will elect Afridi as the new chief minister," he said.

Raja further stated that the party was preparing to announce a "new policy and a fresh beginning".

The PTI's top leader said the province was facing an alarming wave of terrorism. He said the KP government had been advised to distance itself from what he called "the federal government's flawed policies," especially those concerning the expulsion of Afghan citizens.

"The way Afghan nationals were expelled was unnecessary," he remarked. The PTI leader also criticised former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, saying: "He remained foreign minister for over a year and never visited Afghanistan."

Raja said terrorism could only be eradicated through dialogue. "The only way to end terrorism is to sit together and negotiate," he asserted.

Commenting on other political matters, he said multiple cases had been registered against the PTI founder's sister, Aleema Khan, while "the PTI founder believes that now Noreen Khan will carry forward his message."

Rifts within PTI

The development comes amid reports of growing internal rifts within the party as Gandapur and Aleema Khan recently traded barbs and levelled allegations against each other.

In a bid to defuse internal tensions, the incarcerated PTI founder directed Gandapur and his sister to refrain from making public remarks.

Gandapur had earlier warned PTI founder Imran Khan about "vloggers" trying to sow divisions in the party and promote Aleema Khan as the next chairperson, and even prime minister.

The KP CM, in a video message on social media, alleged that PTI founder's sister Aleema was not only refusing to rein in the vloggers but was actively backing their undermining campaign.

Gandapur mentioned he had also conveyed to the PTI founder that columnist Hafeezullah Niazi — a relative of Imran — was writing articles portraying Aleema as both the "party chairperson and prime minister".

Reacting to the development, political analyst Shahzeb Khanzada said that it seemed that Aleema Khan has prevailed.

"The differences between Gandapur and Khan aren't new. There were questions regarding Aleema Khan within the party as well," he added.

According to Khanzada, recent reports had indicated that Gandapur's position was under threat for some time.

The KP chief minister and Bushra Bibi did not get along during the brief period when she was released from jail.