Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur has announced his resignation. The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) confirmed that party founder Imran Khan instructed him to step down and nominated Sohail Afridi as the new chief minister of the province.
PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan said Gandapur will send his resignation to the governor on Thursday. Gandapur had taken oath as chief minister on March 3, 2024, from then-governor Haji Ghulam Ali.
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Ali Amin Gandapur’s rule in KP was full of challenges. He often clashed with the federal government and also faced criticism from within his own party. Since Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is financially dependent on the federation, Gandapur had to maintain a careful balance between politics and state institutions. From the first year of his government, corruption allegations began to surface.
In August 2024, Imran Khan sent a strong message from jail, warning provincial ministers to improve governance and end corruption. Soon after, former minister Shakeel Ahmed Khan was removed from his position. In September 2024, Governor Faisal Karim Kundi publicly accused Gandapur of large-scale corruption. Later in May 2025, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) reported a Rs. 30 billion scam involving officials in the Communications and Works Department and the National Bank of Pakistan.
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Another major controversy during Gandapur’s tenure was his attempt to establish direct contact with the Afghan Taliban government — a move that led to tension with Islamabad.
In September 2024, Gandapur said he wanted to open peace talks with Afghanistan. The federal government immediately warned that only it had the authority to deal with foreign governments.
In January 2025, Gandapur announced plans to send a delegation to Afghanistan. Federal Minister Amir Muqam responded that such talks were beyond the province’s powers.
Gandapur later said his passport had been blocked since May 9, 2023, preventing him from traveling abroad. Gandapur also faced criticism from PTI workers during protests demanding Imran Khan’s release. During an October 2024 protest in Islamabad, he was accused of abandoning workers and later mocked by fellow ministers as “staging a drama.”
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In November, similar criticism followed after he reportedly left protestors behind during a sit-in. Even Bushra Bibi, Imran Khan’s wife, criticized him for leaving the protest site. On social media, he was labeled as a “traitor” and “servant of the establishment.”
Gandapur also faced criticism from PTI workers during protests demanding Imran Khan’s release. During an October 2024 protest in Islamabad, he was accused of abandoning workers and later mocked by fellow ministers as “staging a drama.” In November, similar criticism followed after he reportedly left protestors behind during a sit-in. Even Bushra Bibi, Imran Khan’s wife, criticized him for leaving the protest site. On social media, he was labeled as a “traitor” and “servant of the establishment.”
Gandapur’s decisions often went against PTI policy. He supported military operations and provincial legislation opposed by Imran Khan.
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When the Mines and Minerals Bill was presented, many PTI supporters claimed it was part of an “establishment agenda.” Imran Khan himself opposed it. During the 2025 budget, Imran advised not to present it, but Gandapur insisted it was necessary to keep the government running. As military operations expanded in KP, civilian casualties from drone strikes drew more criticism. Imran Khan reportedly grew frustrated with Gandapur’s failure to “stop military operations.” Eventually, this tension led to the end of Gandapur’s rule.
Ali Amin Gandapur’s resignation marks a major shift in PTI’s politics in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Once considered Imran Khan’s trusted ally, Gandapur now leaves office amid corruption charges, policy disputes, and a deep internal party crisis.