PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja on Wednesday confirmed that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur would be removed from his role as the provincial chief.
“Yes this is correct, absolutely correct. Khan sahib has made this decision. There is a procedure to it,” he said, responding to reporters’ queries.
Asked by a reporter if KP MPA Muhammad Sohail Afridi would replace Gandapur, Raja replied: “Yes, this is correct.”
Addressing a media briefing in Rawalpindi later, Raja again confirmed the development, adding that it was Imran’s decision. He said the PTI founder also told him about the “background of this in detail and also ordered me to put this before you”.
Speaking on the law and order situation in the PTI-ruled KP, Raja said: “There is the worst situation of terrorism in KP. There have been record incidents this year […] the lives lost and martyrdoms so far, there is no example found of this.
Less than an hour ago, PTI Chairman Gohar Ali Khan said he had not made “any statement to the media” about the KP CM.
“This [is] to clarify that I have not made any statement to the media about Ali Amin Gandapur. I have not spoken to any media outlet that ‘news about change of CM KP is fake or is a conspiracy against the party’,” Gohar said on X.
The PTI chairman posted the statement on X after various media outlets reported[1] that CM Gandapur was to be removed from his role.
The development comes about a week after the PTI found itself embroiled in another controversy after PTI Founder Imran Khan’s sister Aleema Khan and CM Gandapur exchanged grave allegations[2], with the latter accusing Aleema of provoking rifts in the party.
The argument started with Aleema claiming that Gandapur had told her imprisoned brother that she was trying to hijack the PTI with the help of the Military Intelligence (MI) and the “establishment”. She made these remarks only a day after the KP CM met the ex-premier in jail for more than two hours and left the premises without speaking to the media persons.
In a video statement in response to Aleema’s allegations, Gandapur claimed[3] that campaigns were being carried out to declare her the PTI chairperson. The chief minister acknowledged telling Imran that the party was being harmed by these campaigns and agendas.
The claims made by Aleema — who came to the limelight after her brother was jailed in August 2023 and regularly meets him at Adiala jail — and Gandapur strengthened speculations about a severe rift between the PTI and Imran’s family members.
In June, the midnight passage[4] of the KP fiscal budget also exposed deep divisions within the PTI.
CM Gandapur initially said[5] his government would follow Imran’s directives on the budget and meet with him to secure the approval. However, days later on June 24, the provincial assembly bulldozed cut motions on demands for grants and greenlit the budget without the KP CM being able to meet the PTI founder.
The passage was met with surprise from key PTI leaders, including Raja and ex-KP finance minister Taimur Saleem Jhagra, who said the approval could have been extended till June 27 at least.
Gandapur justified the approval, saying that any delay could have paved the way for the imposition of governor’s rule in the province.
This is a developing story that is being updated as the situation evolves. Initial reports in the media can sometimes be inaccurate. We will strive to ensure timeliness and accuracy by relying on credible sources, such as concerned, qualified authorities and our staff reporters.
References
- ^ reported (arynews.tv)
- ^ exchanged grave allegations (www.dawn.com)
- ^ claimed (www.dawn.com)
- ^ midnight passage (www.dawn.com)
- ^ initially said (www.dawn.com)