PESHAWAR: PTI’s Sohail Afridi has been officially elected as the new Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, securing a total of 90 votes in the provincial assembly.
The election was conducted amid a boycott by opposition parties, including JUI-F, PPP, and PML-N, who chose not to participate in the voting process, citing concerns over the electoral procedure.
The decision to boycott the election was made during a high-level meeting chaired by KP Assembly Opposition Leader Dr. Ibadullah.
The meeting was attended by prominent opposition figures, including JUI-F parliamentary leader Maulana Lutfur Rehman and Akram Khan Durrani. According to sources, KP Assembly Speaker Babar Saleem attempted to persuade the opposition to take part in the electoral process but was unable to convince them.
Prior to the election, Governor Faisal Karim Kundi had raised objections to the resignations submitted by former Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, highlighting discrepancies in the signatures on the two documents allegedly tendered.
Despite these issues and the pending opposition concerns, the provincial assembly proceeded with the vote, culminating in the decisive victory of Sohail Afridi.
Following the election, there are reports that opposition parties may approach the Peshawar High Court to challenge the electoral process of the Chief Minister’s election. Sources indicate that PML-N had already prepared a petition in anticipation of filing it in the court.
Sohail Afridi’s election marks the conclusion of a tense and closely watched political episode in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, as the province prepares for a new administrative chapter under his leadership.
