Peshawar, October 14, 2025 – The Peshawar High Court (PHC) has directed Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi to administer the oath of office to newly elected Chief Minister Sohail Afridi by 4 PM on Wednesday, October 15, or face the assembly speaker stepping in to avoid a governance vacuum. The ruling, delivered in a nine-page written verdict by Chief Justice SM Atiq Shah, stems from a PTI-backed petition under Article 255 of the Constitution, urging swift swearing-in to uphold constitutional supremacy.
The impasse arose after former CM Ali Amin Gandapur’s abrupt resignation on October 8—announced on the assembly floor on October 13 at PTI founder Imran Khan’s behest—prompting the election of Afridi, who secured 90 votes in the 145-member house. Governor Kundi, a PPP stalwart, delayed acceptance citing signature authenticity concerns and summoned Gandapur for verification at 3 PM Wednesday, but the court deemed further postponement untenable, noting the CM post is vacant and oath-taking mandatory before assuming duties.
Kundi’s counsel informed the court he was in Karachi, returning by 2 PM, but PHC prioritized stability, empowering Speaker Babar Saleem Swati as backup under constitutional provisions allowing the Chief Justice to nominate an oath-taker. PTI’s Asad Qaiser hailed it as a “victory for rule of law,” while JUI-F’s Maulana Lutfur Rehman challenged Afridi’s election as “unlawful,” demanding annulment—a separate petition pending.
The verdict underscores the judiciary’s role in averting crisis, with Afridi—PTI’s tribal areas pick—poised to lead amid opposition boycott and federal tensions.
