Khyber Pakhtunkhwa [Pakistan], March 2 : Amid sloganeering, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly resounded with the victory of Ali Amin Gandapur from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, as he ascended to the role of the 22nd Chief Minister of the province, Dawn reported.
The PTI leader emerged triumphantly with a commanding 90 votes, overshadowing his rival, Ibadullah Khan of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).
Nominated for the prestigious position by the incarcerated party founder, Imran Khan, Gandapur, a former federal minister during the PTI government, had contested and secured victories on both the National Assembly seat (NA-44) and the provincial seat (PK-113) in Dera Ismail Khan. With a comfortable majority, PTI-backed candidates paved the way for the formation of the provincial government in KP, as reported by Dawn.
Gandapur, who had previously faced incarceration following the May 9 riots, addressed the assembly after securing the chief ministerial position. He asserted his independent capacity in this role and expressed his dissatisfaction with the alleged unfairness his party faced in the February 8 general elections.
In his victory speech, Gandapur articulated the PTI's stance on the political landscape, stating, "We do not want to carry out politics of revenge," yet simultaneously emphasising, "We know how to snatch our rights."
The newly elected Chief Minister extended an invitation for an investigation into the allegations of rigging in the general elections, boldly declaring, "Come here and conduct an investigation on the basis of Forms-45."
He continued to challenge the status quo by urging a comprehensive probe into the conduct of the Election Commission of Pakistan. Gandapur called for the immediate resignation of the chief election commissioner and appealed to the Supreme Court to establish a judicial commission to thoroughly investigate the claims of rigging.
Gandapur defended the imprisonment of Imran Khan, attributing it to the exposure of a purported foreign conspiracy before the public.
He asserted, "Today, the entire nation knows who is elected and who is selected." Referring to the tumultuous events of May 9, the PTI leader demanded a judicial inquiry to unveil the "real beneficiaries" of the incidents, vowing to release falsely implicated PTI leaders within a week.
He also pledged to end terrorism in KP and assured the public that every citizen in the province would be able to sleep in peace under his administration. Addressing economic concerns, he outlined plans to increase the province's revenue and alleviate burdens on the economically disadvantaged segments of society.
Gandapur also vowed to provide property, the right to inheritance, and free legal assistance. Additionally, he announced initiatives to invest in trade and business development, with the goal of creating employment opportunities.
He declared the reinstatement of the health card in the province from the first day of Ramadan, Dawn reported.
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