ISLAMABAD: Imran Khan, the founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), announced on Tuesday that former federal minister Ali Amin Gandapur would be his party’s nominee for the chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
“The chief minister of KP will be Ali Amin Gandapur,” stated the former prime minister during an interaction with journalists at Adiala jail, where he is currently detained in several cases.
With PTI securing 84 seats in the KP Assembly, Khan stands in a favorable position to establish the government. In the National Assembly, PTI-supported candidates emerged as the largest group with over 90 seats, followed by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), which secured 75 seats.
Khan dismissed the possibility of forming a coalition government with PML-N, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), and Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P). However, he instructed his party leaders to engage in talks with other parties excluding these three, stating, “Those who have come to power are the biggest money launderers.”
The former premier expressed confidence that the recent general elections, held on February 8, would bring economic stability to the country. Sources indicate that Khan has instructed PTI regarding the selection of KP’s chief minister, with the former ruling party expected to issue a notification soon.
Khan remarked that he knew PTI had won the elections when PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif postponed his press conference, asserting, “Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz have lost both elections.” He also claimed that PTI leader Aliya Hamza received over 100,000 votes while incarcerated.
Regarding government formation, Khan stated that his party would initially challenge the election results and approach the Supreme Court. He mentioned that they had not finalized a candidate for the prime minister’s post yet.
Additionally, Khan mentioned that the court would hear a petition concerning the transfer of his wife, Bushra Bibi, to Adiala jail. Bushra Bibi was sentenced to 10 years in prison in the Toshakhana case and seven years in the illegal marriage case.
