After consolidating grip, Gandapur to reshuffle provincial cabinet

PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur has initiated multiple actions to consolidate his control over the provincial government.

According to sources, following the removal of key PTI KP leaders MNA Atif Khan and Sher Ali Arbab from the party positions, Gandapur is now considering a reshuffle of the provincial cabinet.

Sources revealed that after former Minister of Communications and Works (C&W), Shakeel Khan, was ousted from the cabinet, discussions are ongoing to remove several more provincial ministers, advisers, and special assistants. Chief Minister Gandapur is reportedly lobbying to include his loyalists in these key positions.

Media reports and PTI insiders suggest that Provincial Health Minister Qasim Ali Shah may be reassigned to the Social Welfare Ministry, with MPA Ehtsham Ali Khan from Mardan potentially being appointed as health adviser.

Additionally, consultations are under way to appoint Provincial Assembly member Pir Musawir Shah from Malakand as the Adviser for Forests, Sohail Afridi as the Adviser for C&W, and Naik Muhammad Khan as Special Assistant to the Chief Minister for Relief.

Last week, Chief Minister Gandapur convened a joint meeting of PTI MNAs and MPAs at the Chief Minister’s House to demonstrate his majority within the party and send a clear message to his opponents.

Written declarations of support for Gandapur were secured during this meeting. However, Sher Ali Arbab, who had recently been dismissed as the district president of the party, refused to provide written support.

Moreover, National Assembly members Atif Khan, Junaid Akbar, and Shahram Turki did not attend the meeting.

Efforts were made to contact the provincial government’s spokesperson, Barrister Saif, for a statement on the situation, but he was unavailable.

It is worth noting that Chief Minister Gandapur has so far dismissed former provincial minister Shakeel Khan from the cabinet, removed National Assembly member Junaid Akbar as a focal person, and relieved Atif Khan and Sher Ali Arbab of their significant party roles.