PESHAWAR – A fresh political battle is brewing within Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) over the next chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, with more than 30 provincial lawmakers reportedly throwing their weight behind former chief minister Ali Amin Gandapur in a bid to bring him back to power.
The reported lobbying has exposed differences within the party’s ranks, as rival preferences emerge over who should take charge of the province if a leadership change becomes necessary.
Several influential PTI figures have stepped up behind-the-scenes consultations over the chief minister’s position. While one powerful group is campaigning for Gandapur’s return, other senior leaders are reportedly pushing for a fresh face from either Buner or the Hazara region. The growing differences have turned the potential leadership transition into a political test for PTI, with provincial lawmakers and central party figures apparently divided over the preferred candidate.
More than 30 members of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly are actively supporting Gandapur’s possible reinstatement as chief minister, signalling that the former provincial chief executive continues to command significant backing within the parliamentary party.
Another major complication is the absence of direct consultation with PTI founder Imran Khan. Party sources suggest that any chief minister chosen without his approval could hold the position only temporarily. Under the reported arrangement, the parliamentary party’s nominee would continue as chief minister until party representatives secure a meeting with Imran Khan and obtain his guidance on the leadership question.
Amid the political manoeuvring, sources also revealed that several PTI lawmakers have established a separate WhatsApp group, fuelling speculation about internal coordination and competing political camps. However, PTI’s provincial leadership has moved to dismiss suggestions of an organised rebellion or internal factionalism.
PTI Khyber Pakhtunkhwa spokesperson Shaukat Yousafzai insisted that no decision had been made regarding the appointment of a new chief minister. He clarified that the question of a successor would arise only if incumbent Chief Minister Sohail Afridi were disqualified. In that event, the party leadership would select a replacement through mutual consultation.
Yousafzai also confirmed that Gandapur’s name had been put forward by the parliamentary party to represent the province, but rejected claims that lawmakers were operating in rival factions.
Addressing reports of a separate WhatsApp group, he maintained that the platform had been created merely to facilitate communication among assembly members rather than organise a campaign against the existing leadership.
The latest developments come against a backdrop of reported tensions within PTI’s provincial ranks. Recent exchanges involving senior party figures have highlighted disagreements over leadership and internal decision-making, although party representatives have publicly maintained that Sohail Afridi remains chief minister.
