The Political Earthquake in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa – Main Reasons behind Imran Khan’s action to remove Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur!

Imran Khan’s sudden decision to remove Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) has ignited the nation’s political landscape with fierce controversy. It is a significant shift in PTI, which is already reeling from internal strife, leadership crisis, and growing pressure from the establishment.

For nearly 20 months, Ali Amin’s tenure was a roller coaster ride of tempests of administrative anarchy, governance crises, and internal conflict. But few could have imagined that his political journey would come to an end so sooner—and so dramatically.

The appointment of not-so-experienced Sohail Afridi as the new Chief Minister has raised eyebrows, leaving experts and supporters with a question: was the decision taken due to internal conflict, establishment pressure, or law-and-order breakdown?

Behind the Curtain: The Power Struggle Within PTI

According to senior PTI leaders, the removal of Ali Amin was not an event of one event but rather an aggregation of several crises simultaneously. There had been disenchantment among PTI KP ranks for months already. The majority of insiders believe that the failure to campaign seriously for Imran Khan’s freedom and increasing reports of violence throughout the province became the final straws.

Qazi Anwar Advocate, an elder PTI politician and lawyer, clarified that “internal differences within the party” were of primary importance. He pointed to serious charges made by Ali Amin against Imran Khan’s sister, Aleema Khan, as the turning point. A murmur of protest that had started turned into an out-and-out clash between two powerful personalities in the PTI fold—one that, in the eyes of most, sealed the fate of Ali Amin.

Aleema Khan Factor: A Divisive Rift That Wouldn’t Go Away

Sources inside PTI said the video message of Ali Amin Gandapur condemning Aleema Khan after a meeting with Imran Khan severely irritated the party leadership. Ali Amin made implicit allegations of intraparty plots and accused some members of derailing him in that video message, which was seen as pure insolence to the highest leadership.

The crisis reached a climax at the September 27 Peshawar rally, where Ali Amin was publicly embarrassed as boos and catcalls marred his speech. For most, this was a sign not of lost popularity but of a real disconnect between the Chief Minister and the rank-and-file members of the party.

Aleema Khan’s subsequent meeting with Imran Khan reportedly sealed the verdict. It was, as Qazi Anwar said, “Ali Amin’s charges against Aleema Khan and her explanation to Imran Khan that may have been the reason behind this flip-flop.”

It was no longer a matter of administrative inefficiency but a matter of loyalty, respect, and political compliance.

The Establishment Connection: A Shadow That Never Left

Other than personal squabbles, the second dominant narrative that runs through this epic is that Ali Amin Gandapur was “too close” to the establishment.

Top journalist and analyst Ali Akbar bluntly said, “The biggest allegation against Ali Amin is that he is an establishment product. He is accused of playing both sides—publicly supporting Imran Khan, but still maintaining contacts with the powers that be.”

This was only reinforced each time PTI organized protests for Imran Khan’s release. Whenever protests reached the frenzy point, one saw an unusual trend—Ali Amin’s mysterious disappearing acts. These disappearing acts mystified many within the party as to whose cause he believed in.

In the cutthroat politics of Pakistan, where bonds are made and broken under the weight of unseen tides, even the spectre of double loyalty can be fatal. For Imran Khan, whose political survival itself was a struggle from Adiala Jail, such ambiguity was unthinkable.

Law and Order: The Breaking Point

Despite differences of personality and politics, declining law and order situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa cannot be ignored.

The province that borders Afghanistan has been a center of insecurity in the past. During Gandapur’s tenure, war and unrest spread to places such as Dera Ismail Khan, Tank, Kalachi, Bannu, Bajaur, and Mohmand. Reports of attacks, kidnappings, and activities by rebels became common, raising an eyebrow over his capability to provide good administration.

Even in PTI, rumors grew that Gandapur had “lost control of his own districts.” Qazi Anwar opined, “Just look at the south districts and the upper tribal belts—people are angry everywhere. This could be one big reason why Imran Khan wanted to retire him.”.

Most tellingly, it was reported that even police officers had begun to defy Gandapur’s orders. Such defiance not only undermined his authority but also jeopardized PTI’s image as a disciplined, reform-oriented party.

The Orakzai Incident: The Final Push

As PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja afterwards revealed that last decision was made after a shocking incident in Orakzai. Speaking outside Adiala Jail, Raja said, “This is a thought-out decision by Imran Khan, but its provocation was the incident that took place today in Orakzai. Imran Khan is very upset and declared that there is no room left for me not to reform.”.

Imran Khan condemned Friday’s terror attacks — in Karachi against the Chinese Consulate and in Kalaya Bazar area of lower Orakzai tribal district — saying “both these attacks are part of a planned campaign to create unrest in the country by those who do not want Pakistan to prosper”.

“Let there be no doubt in anyone’s mind: we will crush the terrorists, whatever it takes,”
Calling the Karachi incident a “failed attack” he added:  “My prayers go to the victims and their families. Salute the brave security/police personnel who gave their lives and denied success to terrorists in the mission against Chinese Consulate.”

Though details of the Orakzai incident remain partially unclear, sources suggest it involved violent unrest that once again exposed the province’s fragile security network. For Imran Khan, it became the moment of reckoning—either act decisively or risk losing control of one of PTI’s most crucial strongholds.

Enter Sohail Afridi: A New Face, New Challenges

The appointment of Sohail Afridi as the new Chief Minister is being hailed as a “fresh start” for PTI in KP. But his lack of experience in managing complex political and security issues is a cause for serious concern.

Will Afridi be able to bring stability, better relations with the army, and renewed grassroots confidence for PTI? Or will he become trapped in the same web of competing interests that caught his predecessor?

Analysts believe that Afridi’s main task will be to align provincial governance with directives from Imran Khan in Adiala Jail, particularly concerning the ongoing campaign for Khan’s release. His leadership will be a test of loyalty and adaptability—a balancing act between asserting authority and maintaining institutional harmony.

A Strategic Move or Political Gamble?

Imran Khan’s decision to replace Gandapur may be interpreted in two ways.

• For some, it is a strategic reset, aimed at restoring control over a divided party and reasserting PTI’s anti-establishment stance. For others, it appears as a political gamble, risking administrative continuity for the sake of internal discipline.
• One thing is certain, however: the move indicates Imran Khan’s resolve to tighten the leash, even while incarcerated. The quick and decisive move sends the message that, even behind bars, his grip over PTI machinery is unimpeachable.

A Province at Crossroads

Ali Amin Gandapur’s removal signifies far more than a mundane political reorganization—it is a mirror reflecting the instability of PTI as well as shifting dynamics of Pakistani politics. The battlefield of loyalty, governance, and establishment relations remains the very definition of the future of the party.

As the province awaits new leadership by Sohail Afridi, the question is: will Imran Khan’s PTI be able to stabilize Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and rebuild trust within its ranks—or will this step create more fissures?

The next few months will tell if this dramatic move was an act of political masterstroke or a calculated gamble.

For now, one truth stands firm Imran Khan’s decision to remove Ali Amin Gandapur marks a new chapter in PTI’s complex struggle between power, loyalty, and survival.

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