PESHAWAR : Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi has officially confirmed receiving the resignation of Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, but has delayed its approval pending a legal review — setting the stage for a high-stakes constitutional showdown.
The handwritten resignation, dated October 11, was hand-delivered to the Governor House at 2:30 PM by Gandapur’s aide Brigadier (Retd) Musaddiq Abbasi. While the document has been acknowledged, Governor Kundi told reporters that formal action will only follow after consultations with legal advisers, who are currently unavailable over the weekend. The review is expected to begin Monday.
In response, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has activated a parallel legal and political strategy. Party insiders say that under Article 130(8) of the Constitution, a Chief Minister’s resignation becomes valid upon submission — regardless of the Governor’s approval.
Legal experts, including the Advocate General of KP, argue that Gandapur’s resignation — submitted both verbally and in writing — meets constitutional standards, citing relevant court precedents. To reinforce their position, PTI has prepared a resolution for the KP Assembly, signed by Gandapur himself, to formally validate the resignation.
Sources reveal that a high-level PTI committee — including Asad Qaiser, Sohail Afridi, Junaid Akbar, the Advocate General, and Musaddiq Abbasi — has reviewed the legal framework and briefed party leadership.
If the assembly route is adopted and the resignation confirmed, Sohail Afridi is expected to be nominated and swiftly sworn in as the new Chief Minister — potentially within days.
The unfolding situation has sparked intense political speculation across the country, with constitutional interpretations and party maneuvers under close watch.
