Imran Khan nominates Sohail Afridi as new KP Chief Minister, replacing Ali Amin Gandapur in a major political move within the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). The PTI founder and former prime minister made the announcement after weeks of speculation regarding changes in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s leadership.
Sohail Afridi, a young and dynamic PTI leader from Bara tehsil in Khyber district, currently serves as the provincial minister for higher education. Known for his deep ideological commitment, Afridi has been associated with PTI since his student days and is considered one of the party’s most grassroots-oriented politicians.
Afridi completed his early education at Muslim Public School, Saddar Peshawar, before obtaining a BS degree in Economics from the University of Peshawar. His political career began in 2015 when he was elected president of the Insaf Students Federation (ISF) at Peshawar University. He quickly rose through the ranks, becoming ISF’s regional president and later its provincial head in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
In the 2024 general elections, Afridi entered mainstream politics from PK-70 (Khyber-II), where he defeated PML-N’s Bilawal Afridi by a large margin. Following his victory, then-Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur inducted him into the provincial cabinet as Special Assistant for Communication and Works, later promoting him to Minister for Higher Education.
During the turbulent period after the May 9, 2023 incidents, Sohail Afridi remained one of the few PTI leaders active in the field, maintaining communication with party workers and leading youth-based protests for Imran Khan’s release. His loyalty, organisational skills, and influence among young voters are believed to have played a key role in his nomination as the new chief minister.
Afridi, who comes from a family of six brothers, was previously involved in the property business before fully devoting himself to politics. His appointment marks a generational shift within PTI’s provincial leadership and signals Imran Khan’s continued trust in youth-driven political leadership in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.