In the latest shakeup, former Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan has asked PTI leader Ali Amin Gandapur to resign from his role as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister, while the party’s General Secretary Salman Akram Raja confirmed that the party founder Imran Khan had directed Sohail Afridi to assume the role of a provincial chief executive.
Gandapur resigns without a fight
Gandapur, in his resignation note, thanked his cabinet colleagues, assembly members of both the PTI and the opposition, and all officers of the KP bureaucracy, who he said helped him face the extraordinary challenges of government in the province.
In his resignation letter, Gandapur said: “In respectful compliance of the orders of my leader … Imran Khan, it is my honour to tender my resignation.”
“I may not be able to claim with certainty that I did well on all those challenges but one thing that I can say with utmost certainty is that I served with absolute sincerity to the people of KP and always acted in the best interest of Pakistan.”
In a now-deleted post, Gandapur had claimed that:“The role of the chief minister was Imran Khan sahib’s amaanat (entrustment) and as per his order, I am returning his amaanat and submitting my resignation.”
A score of PTI workers and supporters of PTI had turned against Ali Amin Gandapur and suspected his conduct, running campaigns against Gandapur several time on social media.
Addressing a media briefing later, Salman Akram Raja stated that the decision was made by Imran Khan, who he said told him about the background of this in detail and also ordered him to put this before you (media).
In respectful compliance of the orders of my leader, and Founding Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, Imran Khan, it is my honour to tender my resignation from the Office of the Chief Minister, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
When I took over as Chief Minister, the province was faced with a… pic.twitter.com/b43onAVAby
— Ali Amin Khan Gandapur (@AliAminKhanPTI) October 8, 2025
The PTI leader said that there will be no vote of confidence against Gandapur as Imran had ordered him to resign. He pointed out that the PTI had a clear majority in the KP assembly through which Sohail Afridi would be elected as the next chief minister.
Imran Khan also raised his concerns over the spike in terrorism in PTI-ruled Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Imran Khan had been raising concerns over the federal government’s policies in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He said that Imran Khan expressed remorse over the incident that happened in Orakzai and that there is no choice for him now but to make the change in KP’s chief ministership.
He had repeatedly stressed to the KP government to disassociate itself from the policies of the federal government. Salman Raja, quoting Imran Khan, said that there are three stakeholders, and until they are involved, there will be no peace in KP and Pakistan. Specifying the parties as the residents of tribal areas, the Afghan government, and the Afghan people.
He also expressed remorse about Pakistan repatriating Afghan refugees. Khan said that Pakistan humiliated Afghan refugees and has sown such hate, for which there was no need after hosting them for 40 years. He also criticized the federal government for not maintaining contact with the Afghan interim setup.
Hence, amid the rising surge of terrorism in KP, Imran was upset that his vision was not followed by the KP government, and they couldn’t distance themselves from the policies of the federal government and agencies, the way it was required. Imran has expressed the expectation that the new KP setup under Afridi would be a new beginning and that there would be wise talk of mutual understanding.
He added that the jirgas and tribes would be asked for help, and a solution would be provided to the provinces’ issues. However, Salman Akram Raja refuted that the decision was not a result of the recent dispute between Ali Amin Gandapur with Imran Khan’s sister Aleema Khan, in which he publicly accused her of being a military intelligence agent.
He, however, said that Imran Khan has expressed good sentiments for Ali Amin Gandapur. Meanwhile, PTI chairman Baristar Gohar has reaffirmed that the orders of Imran Khan will be carried out.
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However, Pakistani publication Dawn quotes that Ali Amin Gandapur had a sense that he would be removed, hence he tried to secure a meeting with the party founder to make a last-ditch attempt to save his seat, however to no avail. PTI Insiders Dawn claimed that the PTI Insiders, as said by the publication, that Mr. Gandapur had decided to go down without a fight, which may create further problems in the party.
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The publication claims that Mr. Afridi is said to be Bushra Bibi’s pick to run the province, backed by Aleema Khan in a rare case of agreement between Khan’s sister and wife, says the source privy to the matter. Sources in the PTI said that the party chief, Imran Khan had made up his mind about Ali Amin’s removal after the botched November 26th march in Pakistan’s federal capital, Islamabad, when Gandapur mysteriously disappeared from Islamabad, leaving workers confused. Many of the PTI workers were killed and injured after security forces used arms to deter the protestors.
Following the march, Gandapur met Imran Khan several times in the prison cell in Adiala jail and bought time to follow out Imran Khan’s agenda. However, the party says that the decision to remove Gandapur is solely of Imran Khan, and he has not consulted with anyone in the party.
چیئرمین پی ٹی آئی بیرسٹر گوہر علی خان کی وزیر اعلٰی خیبرپختونخوا علی امین گنڈاپور کے استعفے کے حوالے میڈیا سے گفتگو۔ pic.twitter.com/JLqbRQKZyA
— Barrister Gohar Khan (@BarristerGohar) October 8, 2025
According to the publication, the sources claim that the resignation of Mr. Gandapur would certainly bring down the number of differences and groupings within the party. President of KP Chapter of PTI, Junaid Akbar, MNA Atif Khan, and former Speaker of National Assembly and MNA Asad Qaiser, who are thought to be in the opposing camp, felicitated the incoming CM Sohail Afridi for his appointment. Mr. Afridi was appointed Provincial Minister for the Higher Education Department a week ago.
Before this, he was working as a special assistant to the Chief Minister on the Works and Communications Department. He has been an active activist of Insaf Students’ Federation and later became its chairman.
He holds a Master’s Degree in Economics from the University of Peshawar and will be the first Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa from the former tribal regions. In the February 8, 2024, elections, he won from PK70 Tribal District Khyber and also served as the PTI’s Youth Wing Provincial President.
GVS South Asia Desk