Pakistan provincial chief minister resigns on Imran Khan’s orders amid surge in militancy
ISLAMABAD: Ali Amin Gandapur, the chief minister of Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, said on Wednesday he had stepped down on the instructions of party leader and former prime minister Imran Khan, ending weeks of speculation about a leadership change.
The news comes amid mounting criticism of the provincial government’s handling of law and order. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, governed by Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party since 2013, has faced a sharp resurgence of militant activity in recent months, with officials reporting record casualties among security forces.
In a statement, Gandapur said he had resigned on Khan’s direction.
“The position of chief minister was a trust given to me by Imran Khan,” he said. “On his instructions, I am returning that trust to him and submitting my resignation.”
