Four candidates submit nomination papers for KP CM slot

Peshawar: The nomination process for the election of the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has concluded, with four candidates submitting their nomination papers. The final list of candidates will be released this evening.

Four candidates are contesting the election for the new Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The nominees include Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) Sohail Afridi, Pakistan Peoples Party’s Arbab Zarak, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s Sardar Jehan, and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl’s Maulana Lutfur Rehman.

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly has been summoned to meet tomorrow at 10 a.m., during which the election of the Chief Minister will take place. The new Leader of the House will be chosen through a show of hands. PTI, which enjoys the support of 90 independent members, is seen as having a clear advantage, while 73 votes are required to secure the position.

It may be recalled that on 8 October, PTI’s Secretary-General Salman Akram Raja confirmed the change in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s leadership, announcing that Sohail Afridi would replace Ali Amin Gandapur as the party’s nominee for Chief Minister.

Following this, Ali Amin Gandapur announced his resignation from the post, stating that he was stepping down from the office of Chief Minister in accordance with the directives of Imran Khan.

Earlier, a spokesperson for the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor’s House confirmed receipt of Gandapur’s resignation, stating that it was formally submitted to the Governor’s House at 2:30 p.m. on 11 October. The spokesperson added that the resignation would be examined in accordance with constitutional and legal procedures, ensuring transparency in the process.

Who is Sohail Afridi?

The newly nominated Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sohail Afridi, hails from District Khyber. He previously served as the Provincial President of the Insaf Students Federation (ISF).

Sohail Afridi was elected for the first time to the Provincial Assembly from District Khyber during the 2024 general elections.

He also served as Special Assistant to the Chief Minister on Communications in Ali Amin Gandapur’s cabinet. Following a reshuffle in the provincial cabinet last week, Afridi was appointed Provincial Minister for Higher Education. He is also a member of PTI’s Central Executive Committee.