Peshawar, October 13, 2025 — In a notable shift in the political landscape, Sohail Afridi has been elected as the new Leader of the House in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly. The session, led by Speaker Babar Saleem Swati, wrapped up with 90 members casting their votes in favor of Afridi.
After his election, Sohail Afridi took a moment to express his gratitude to the founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) for placing his trust in a party worker without any political lineage. “Neither my father, brother, nor uncle was ever involved in politics. I didn’t just stumble into the role of Chief Minister; I put in the effort to get here,” he shared. Afridi went on to emphasize, “I identify first as a Pakistani, then as a Pakhtun, and finally as a tribal. Leadership is something you earn through hard work, not something handed down like a family name, as with Zardari or Bhutto.”
Earlier in the session, Ali Amin Gandapur spoke to the assembly, revealing that he had resigned as Chief Minister at the request of PTI’s founder. “Imran Khan appointed me as Chief Minister, and when he said it was time to step down, I did. We must not turn democracy into a joke,” he stated. Gandapur also pointed out his government’s achievements, saying, “When we took over, there were only 18 days’ worth of salaries left, but now the provincial treasury boasts Rs 218 billion.”
He defended his record against opposition claims of withholding development funds, asserting that the public appreciated his commitment to welfare projects. “We stand firmly with Imran Khan and his vision for Pakistan,” Gandapur declared.
Speaker Swati confirmed that the election of the new Leader of the House followed constitutional guidelines. Out of 145 assembly members, a simple majority of 73 votes was needed.
However, the opposition announced a boycott of the session. Opposition leader Dr. Ibadullah contended that the election process was “illegal,” arguing, “Ali Amin Gandapur’s resignation hasn’t been accepted yet, so we can’t elect another Chief Minister. The Governor has called him in to clarify the situation. We refuse to participate in this unconstitutional act.”
Despite the opposition’s protest, the assembly successfully concluded the voting process, confirming Sohail Afridi as the new Leader of the House in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
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