Peshawar, October 12, 2025: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly Secretariat on Sunday accepted the nomination papers of four candidates vying for the post of chief minister, setting the stage for a crucial vote on Monday.
According to the secretariat, nomination papers filed by Sohail Afridi of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Maulana Lutfur Rehman of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), Sardar Shahjehan Yousaf of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), and Arbab Zarak Khan of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) were all found valid.
The election for the new Leader of the House will take place at 10 a.m. on Monday (October 13), as confirmed by Speaker Babar Saleem Swati in a post on X (formerly Twitter). The development follows the resignation of Ali Amin Gandapur, who stepped down as KP chief minister on October 8, shortly after PTI announced Sohail Afridi as his successor.
“In respectful compliance with the orders of my leader and PTI founder Imran Khan, it is my honour to tender my resignation from the Office of the Chief Minister,” Gandapur had written in a social media post.
Meanwhile, Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs Amir Muqam said that while the imposition of governor’s rule in the province remains a constitutional option, there are no deliberations currently underway to enforce it.
“The governor has received the chief minister’s resignation and will process it according to the law. Every step must follow constitutional procedure,” Muqam told Geo News, criticising PTI for allegedly acting out of “fear.”
“If PTI cannot wait until Monday, it seems they have concerns. If they have confined their MPAs, there must be some fear,” he said, accusing the party of trying to politicise the process.
Opposition parties, meanwhile, are still consulting on whether to field a joint candidate. JUI-F’s provincial chief Maulana Atta-ur-Rehman confirmed that the submission of papers by different opposition nominees was a “constitutional and legal right”, adding that discussions for consensus were ongoing.
The upcoming vote is expected to be closely contested, with PTI seeking to retain control of the province it has ruled since 2013, while opposition parties aim to form a united front to challenge the ruling party’s dominance.
