ISLAMABAD, (DNA) – Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan finalised the name of party leader Atif Khan on Tuesday for the seat of Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, dispelling the impression that former office holder Pervaz Khattak will retain his position this time.

According to sources, Pervaz Khattak has been lobbying for the position and as a substitute he has decided that party leader Asad Qaiser will become CM KP. Qaiser had earlier served as the Speaker KP Assembly.

Khattak won one National Assembly and one Provincial Assembly seat and he wanted to become head of the KP Assembly instead of being in the centre. The former CM had said that he will accept the decision taken by party Chairman Imran Khan for the provincial head.

PTI Chairman Imran Khan had tried relentlessly to convince Khattak to clear the way for Atif Khan — the former education minister of the province — but nothing worked. Earlier, Khattak claimed the support of 55, out of the party’s total 65 MPAs in the province.

Pervaz Khattak had confirmed to that he has conveyed to the party leadership that he will not join the federal cabinet. “The party has a huge mandate in the country just because of my performance in KP,” he said.