PESHAWAR, October 13: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Sohail Afridi has been elected as the new Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) after securing 90 votes in the provincial assembly. Afridi’s nomination came directly from PTI founder and former Prime Minister Imran Khan, reaffirming Khan’s strong influence over the party’s political direction despite ongoing legal and political challenges.

The election session, held amid tight security, saw PTI lawmakers and allies rally behind Afridi, giving him a comfortable majority in the 145-member house. Opposition parties, including the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), staged a token protest before the voting began, alleging procedural irregularities.

After his election, Chief Minister-designate Sohail Afridi thanked Imran Khan and the party’s parliamentary members for their trust, pledging to focus on good governance, merit-based reforms, and development across the province.

In a statement shared through party channels, Imran Khan congratulated Afridi, expressing confidence that he would uphold PTI’s vision of transparency and public service. The new chief minister is expected to announce his cabinet in the coming days as the PTI-led government begins its next term in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.