Discontent brews as senior leaders, overlooked districts cry foul over lack of representation
PESHAWAR:
Differences within Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) have surfaced shortly after the expansion of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa cabinet, with several party leaders and lawmakers expressing strong displeasure over being overlooked.
The controversy erupted after Chief Minister Sohail Afridi announced the expansion of his cabinet. The move came nearly a year after he formed a slim cabinet in 2025. Sources said the decision was taken following consultations with the party’s founder chairman, though the meeting with the chairman did not materialise before the announcement.
The expansion included six new ministers, four advisors, and eight special assistants. However, the announcement triggered immediate backlash from party members who felt sidelined.
Abdul Ghani Afridi, a close associate of the Chief Minister, publicly conveyed his dissatisfaction through a couplet on social media.
Former Governor Shah Farman clarified on social media that no one was included in the cabinet on his recommendation, nor did he propose any names.
Former provincial minister Shaukat Yousafzai criticised the exclusion of Shangla district, noting that while the Chief Minister has the prerogative to choose his cabinet, some decisions must be made keeping party interests in mind. He pointed out that federal minister Amir Maqam, opposition leader Dr Ebad, and Senator Niaz belong to Shangla, questioning whether ignoring the district would disappoint its people.
Several districts appear to have received disproportionate representation, while others were completely ignored. Malakand, Charsadda, and Nowshera each secured three slots. In contrast, key districts including North and South Waziristan, Bannu, Orakzai, Hangu, and Bajaur received no representation despite having multiple PTI MPAs.
Some districts received multiple berths: two each from Kohat, Mardan, Peshawar, Buner, Dir, Haripur, Swabi; and one each from Mohmand, Karak, Lakki Marwat, Abbottabad, Tank, and Battagram.
Shakil Khan, a member of former Chief Minister Mahmood Khan’s cabinet and associated with the Atif Khan group, was surprisingly re-inducted, triggering astonishment within party circles.
Notably, the cabinet largely avoided including unelected personalities, with only Muzzmal Aslam reportedly making it as an exception.
The cabinet expansion has highlighted growing regional and factional fissures within PTI in K-P.
