PESHAWAR: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmaker Sohail Afridi was elected as the new chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) on Monday. The election took place during a noisy assembly session that saw opposition parties walk out in protest, calling the process “unconstitutional”.
Highlights
- Sohail Afridi wins the KP CM election with 90 votes.
- Opposition boycotts session, calls process “unconstitutional”.
- The speaker says the election was held under constitutional rules.
- Opposition claims Gandapur’s resignation was not accepted.
- Afridi replaces Ali Amin Gandapur as PTI’s nominee.
Afridi secured 90 votes in the 145-member KP Assembly. He needed at least 73 to win. The opposition candidates received zero votes after they walked out of the chamber.
Opposition Walkout Over “Unconstitutional” Process
Leader of the Opposition Dr Ibadullah held up a copy of the Constitution during the session. He argued that Ali Amin Gandapur’s resignation had not been accepted by the governor and that his cabinet was still active.
“In the presence of an existing chief minister, the election of another is unconstitutional,” he said before walking out with JUI-F, PML-N, and PPP members.
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Speaker Defends Election, Cites Constitution
KP Assembly Speaker Babar Saleem Swati rejected the opposition’s claims. He said Gandapur had submitted his resignation twice and that the election was being held under Article 130 of the Constitution.
“The Constitution does not run according to people’s wishes,” he said. “This election is lawful and follows the rules of the assembly.”
PTI Celebrates Victory, Gandapur Congratulates Afridi
Outgoing chief minister Ali Amin Gandapur congratulated Afridi during the session. He said he had resigned on PTI founder’s instructions and called for the opposition not to delay the democratic process.
PTI’s KP leadership warned party members against defying the nominee, saying public accountability awaited anyone who did.
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