PTI rules out replacing suspended KP chief minister Sohail Afridi

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf formally ruled out replacing suspended Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi on Thursday, declaring that he retained the confidence of party founder Imran Khan. The directive was issued amid public speculation about Afridi’s political future and reports of differences within the party’s provincial leadership.

A notification released by PTI’s central secretariat instructed party members, office-bearers, parliamentarians and other functionaries not to call or attend meetings concerning the nomination or replacement of the chief minister. Members were also barred from placing the issue on any meeting agenda or considering alternative candidates for the position.

PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan said Afridi remained the party’s designated chief minister and would continue in that capacity with Imran’s backing. The notification stressed that only the incarcerated party founder had the authority to nominate another candidate or reverse the existing decision, adding that his directions would be binding on all members.

The statement follows the imposition of emergency measures and governor’s rule in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa on October 11 after negotiations between the federal government and opposition broke down. The provincial administration was suspended under the emergency arrangement, while Afridi was reportedly taken into custody as a PTI protest march moved towards Swabi.

Political pressure on Afridi increased further when a Peshawar anti-terrorism court issued arrest warrants for him and several other PTI leaders and office-bearers in connection with the May 9 attack case. The legal proceedings, his reported detention and the suspension of the provincial government have created uncertainty about how PTI intends to manage its political leadership in the province.

The latest directive also seeks to contain internal disputes that have spilled into public view. Former provincial chief minister Ali Amin Gandapur and PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja previously exchanged accusations concerning provincial leadership, party strategy and the management of political affairs in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. Gandapur challenged claims that lawmakers were attempting to select a new leader without approval from Imran or the party’s political committee.

Barrister Gohar had earlier moved to stabilise the provincial organisation by confirming that Junaid Akbar would remain PTI’s Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa president. Under that arrangement, senior vice-president Senator Noorul Haq Qadri was assigned to preside over provincial cabinet meetings in Akbar’s absence, while provincial general secretary Ali Asghar was designated to lead when both senior officials were unavailable.

The party’s decision reinforces Afridi’s symbolic position at a time when the elected provincial setup is not exercising its ordinary powers. By blocking internal discussion of potential replacements, PTI is attempting to project unity and prevent competing groups from using the administrative suspension to reshape the provincial leadership.

Attention will now turn to whether party members comply with the directive and how PTI handles its affairs during the emergency period. Afridi’s legal position, the outcome of challenges to governor’s rule and any future instructions from Imran will determine whether the present arrangement remains largely symbolic or becomes the basis for restoring the party’s provincial administration.