PTI's Gandapur wins KP chief minister election against PML-N candidate Dr Ibadullah Khan
- Gandapur demanded authorities to restore the PTI's mandate.
- Ali Amin Gandapur defeated PML-N's Ibadullah Khan with 74 votes.
- PTI founder Imran Khan nominated Gandpur for KP CM post.
PESHAWAR: Soon after being elected as the new chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Ali Amin Gandapur on Friday delivered a fiery victory speech, demanding that chief election commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja resign citing his role in stealing his votes. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party. (PTI) in the February 8 general elections.
Gandapur, a PTI leader who contested the polls as an independent KP candidate, was elected the new chief minister of the province after voting concluded in the KP Assembly. Gandapur defeated Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Dr Ibadullah Khan after securing 90 votes to the latter's 16.
Addressing the KP legislators in his speech, Gandapur promised to live up to the expectations of the PTI founder.
He then spoke about his party leaders and said that the injustice done to the PTI leader was never witnessed under any fascism.
“Our leader fought for the nation for 27 years and he used to rightly say that we are not free but slaves and we need real freedom,” he lamented, demanding a free and fair trial for Imran Khan and his release from prison.
He also said that the party does not want any revenge and added that they want a system that no one can abuse in this country.
“They have taken away our electoral symbol and we are not even allowed to raise our voice for the people of Kashmir,” he said, warning that they know how to take away their rights.
“It is the responsibility of the State to give us our right,” he added.
The KP CM then referred to the February 8 elections and stated that the authorities concerned should restore their mandate.
“Today the entire nation knew who the selected one is. These selected ones come to govern again and again to steal people's money,” he added.
CM Gandapur later said that 80% of the PTI leaders' documents were rejected and later restored by the courts.
He demanded quashing of the first information reports (FIRs) against PTI women candidates and asked Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa to form a judicial commission into the May 9 incident.
The CM also promised that he would not commit corruption and would not allow anyone else to do so.
Talking about KP's economic situation, Gandapur said he will focus on increasing the province's revenue. He added that they will no longer be a burden on the poor.
“We will give property, inheritance rights and free legal aid to women,” he promised, adding that they will invest in trade and business development to create jobs.
The CM also said that people will be given health card from the first day of Ramadan and added that they will form a commission for overseas Pakistanis.
The Gandapur nomination
PTI founder Imran Khan had nominated Gandapur as his party's candidate for KP house leader. Considering the numbers, it is very likely that he will get the job.
Gandapur had the support of the members of the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC), while Dr Ibadullah has the support of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI-P) parliamentarians.
The former federal minister decided to run for the top provincial office as an independent after refusing to join the SIC, the party that PTI-backed independent winners joined to reclaim their seats.
Gandapur served as former federal minister for Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan Affairs during the PTI government at the Center from October 2018 to April 2022.
Previously, he was a member of the KP Assembly from 2013 to 2018 and served as provincial finance minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The CM-designate obtained his bachelor's degree with honors from Gomal University in Dera Ismail Khan.
Meanwhile, his opponent, Ibadullah Khan, was a member of the National Assembly from August 2018 to August 2023. He was the chairman of the Standing Committee on Communications of the National Assembly from April 2019 to August 2023.
At the inaugural session of the KP Assembly on Wednesday, the newly elected legislators were sworn in.
A day after the oath-taking, the provincial legislature elected PTI-backed Babar Saleem Swati and Suriya Bibi as president and vice-president. Swati got 89 votes while Suriya received 87 votes to win the coveted seats.
