PESHAWAR — The Peshawar High Court (PHC) has directed Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Governor Faisal Karim Kundi to administer the oath of office to Chief Minister-elect Sohail Afridi by 4 PM tomorrow. If the governor is unable to fulfill this duty, the court has instructed KP Assembly Speaker Babar Saleem Swati to conduct the oath-taking ceremony.
The directive follows a petition filed by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), which argued that Afridi’s election as Chief Minister was valid despite the governor’s objections to the resignation of former CM Ali Amin Gandapur. The PTI maintained that under Article 130(8) of the Constitution, a Chief Minister’s resignation does not require the governor’s acceptance.
Governor Kundi had previously returned Gandapur’s resignation letters, citing discrepancies in the signatures. The PHC Chief Justice clarified that the resignation had been confirmed on the assembly floor and that the governor’s approval was not constitutionally required. The court’s decision aims to resolve the impasse and facilitate a smooth transition of power in the province.
PTI Chairman Barrister Ali Gohar welcomed the ruling, expressing hope for a swift and constitutional handover of leadership in KP. The party anticipates that the new government will focus on addressing public issues and governance challenges.
This development marks a significant step in the political landscape of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as Afridi prepares to assume office amid ongoing constitutional debates.
This story has been reported by PakTribune. All rights reserved.