The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly is set to elect its new Chief Minister today, marking a significant moment in the province’s political landscape. The session, scheduled for Monday morning, will see four candidates competing for the top post in what is expected to be a closely contested election.
The ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has nominated Sohail Afridi as its candidate for the Chief Minister’s office. Afridi is expected to replace Ali Amin Gandapur, who stepped down from the position following directions from the PTI’s founding leadership.
Representing the opposition, Maulana Lutf ur Rehman of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), Sardar Shahjahan Yousuf of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), and Arbab Zarak Khan of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) have also filed their nominations.
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly currently consists of 145 members, with 93 belonging to the ruling party and 52 representing opposition benches. To secure victory, a candidate must obtain at least 73 votes. Political analysts suggest that the outcome will depend heavily on the opposition’s ability to unite behind a single nominee.
According to officials, the scrutiny of nomination papers took place at 4:00 PM on Sunday under the supervision of the Speaker of the KP Assembly, while the voting process will begin at 10:00 AM today, conducted through a show of hands.
Speaking to the media after submitting his nomination, PTI’s Sohail Afridi expressed confidence in a fair democratic process. “We must move forward according to the constitution and strengthen democracy in the province,” he said, emphasizing that no interference should take place in the assembly’s proceedings.
Meanwhile, opposition leaders from the PML-N, JUI-F, and PPP have held multiple consultations to consider a joint opposition candidate. While no final consensus has been publicly confirmed, party insiders indicate ongoing efforts to challenge PTI’s majority through strategic alliances.
As the political temperature rises in Peshawar, all eyes are on the assembly floor, where the province’s next Chief Minister will be decided. The election result is expected to shape the direction of provincial governance and test party unity in the coming months.