The Peshawar High Court (PHC) has ordered Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi to administer the oath of office to Chief Minister-elect Sohail Afridi by 4pm on Tuesday.
Afridi was elected earlier on Monday amid controversy over the resignation of former CM Ali Amin Gandapur, who stepped down on the instructions of PTI founder Imran Khan. However, Gandapur’s resignation letters were returned by the governor due to “inconsistent signatures,” casting doubt over the vacancy of the office.
The PTI argues that a chief minister’s resignation does not require the governor’s approval under the Constitution. With this stance, the party proceeded with Afridi’s election during a session boycotted by opposition members.
To avoid delays in the oath-taking, PTI approached the PHC, requesting the court to authorize the KP Assembly Speaker or another official to administer the oath if the governor failed to do so.
During the hearing, Additional Attorney General Sanaullah told the court the governor was out of town and lacked access to a private aircraft. The court, however, rejected further delays and instructed the governor to ensure Afridi is sworn in by the specified deadline.
