PESHAWAR: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founding chairman Imran Khan has nominated Sohail Afridi to replace Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur and lead the militancy-hit province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
PTI Secretary-General Salman Akram Raja announced Khan’s decision, after which Gandapur formally announced his resignation as chief minister and pledged to support Afridi and the party’s policy.
Who is Sohail Afridi?
Sohail Afridi, a first-time lawmaker from, entered electoral politics in the 2024 general elections, contesting from Khyber tribal district. He won the seat by a wide margin, defeating PML-N candidate Bilawal Afridi — a victory seen as a major milestone in his political career.
Afridi, 36, represents the PK-70 (Khyber-II) constituency in the provincial assembly. A relative newcomer to provincial politics, he was elected in the February 2024 polls as an independent candidate backed by PTI and later joined the party formally. He has since served as snew pecial assistant for communication and works before being inducted as provincial minister for higher education.
PTI’s legal adviser Salman Akram Raja confirmed that Khan, who remains incarcerated in Rawalpindi, had instructed party leaders to replace Gandapur amid growing concerns over governance issues and intra-party disputes in the province.
Afridi’s nomination marks a generational shift in PTI’s provincial leadership. Born in Khyber District, the young politician was an early member of the Insaf Students Federation and has remained active in party organization for over a decade. His appointment, if finalized, would make him the first chief minister from the former Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) since their merger with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in 2018.
Political analysts say the decision underscores PTI’s efforts to broaden representation from merged districts while tightening control over its provincial government. “It’s both a symbolic and strategic move,” said a Peshawar-based analyst. “Khan wants a loyal but low-profile administrator who can stabilize the party in KP without challenging his authority.”
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Afridi’s possible elevation comes at a time of heightened political friction between the PTI-led government in KP and federal authorities in Islamabad, particularly over security coordination and resource allocation. The province has faced a resurgence of militant attacks in recent months, putting pressure on local leadership to improve law enforcement and governance.
