Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur confirmed that the agreement with opposition parties regarding Senate seats remains intact, despite some resistance from certain Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders.
“The MPAs-elect on reserved seats are taking their oaths at the Governor’s House in accordance with the directives of the Peshawar High Court,” Gandapur stated following a meeting with opposition figures, including Opposition Leader Dr. Ibadullah and KP Assembly Speaker Babar Saleem Swat.
This development follows the Peshawar High Court (PHC) Chief Justice Syed Muhammad Atique Shah’s order, appointing KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi to administer the oath, after Speaker Swati adjourned the assembly session until July 24 due to quorum issues. Opposition MPAs petitioned the PHC for prompt oath-taking to complete the electoral college for Monday’s Senate elections.
Read: PTI KP Senate Ticket Dispute: Party Workers Threaten Protests Over Candidate Selection
Gandapur defended the deal as “a very good decision in the province’s history,” noting that the PTI had adopted a similar strategy in Punjab. “Our alliance with the opposition is only for the Senate polls,” he clarified. Under the 6-5 formula, PTI secures six seats, while the opposition secures five, following directives from PTI founder Imran Khan.
He warned of action against dissenting candidates who damaged the party by refusing to withdraw their nominations. Five PTI members—Irfan Saleem, Khurram Zeeshan, Waqas Orakzai (general seat hopefuls), Syed Irshad Hussain (technocrats seat), and Ayesha Bano (women’s reserved seat)—opposed the adjustment.
“Rejecting Imran Khan’s decisions is tantamount to opposing the PTI founder,” Gandapur emphasised. The controversy underscores internal rifts, with dissenters labelling the process unfair. PTI’s leadership views it as necessary for strategic gains.
