Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur clarified on Sunday that the agreement between the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the opposition regarding Senate seats remains in place despite internal opposition from some party candidates.
Speaking after a joint session attended by both government and opposition representatives—including KP Assembly Speaker Babar Saleem Swati and Opposition Leader Dr Ibadullah—Gandapur said the pact for Senate seat distribution was made in the larger interest of the province and will be implemented as planned.
The chief minister stated that reserved seat members will take their oath at the Governor’s House, in accordance with the Peshawar High Court’s (PHC) order. The PHC had intervened after the KP Assembly session was adjourned due to lack of quorum, and had tasked Governor Faisal Karim Kundi with administering the oaths.
“The alliance with the opposition is strictly limited to the Senate elections,” Gandapur emphasized. He assured that both sides would uphold their commitment and accused dissenting PTI members of causing harm to the party’s unity.
He also announced disciplinary action against PTI candidates who defied party instructions and refused to withdraw their nomination papers. “Defying decisions issued under the guidance of PTI founder Imran Khan is unacceptable,” Gandapur said.
According to the agreement, PTI will secure six Senate seats while the opposition will be given five. However, five PTI members—namely Irfan Saleem, Khurram Zeeshan, Waqas Orakzai, Syed Irshad Hussain, and Ayesha Bano—have refused to step aside as directed by the leadership. These candidates were contesting for general, technocrat, and women’s reserved seats.
Gandapur reiterated that this strategy mirrors the one adopted in Punjab and was made under the direct instructions of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, who remains incarcerated.
