Discontent grows as top leaders and overlooked districts cry over lack of representation
PESHAWAR:
Differences within the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) emerged soon after the expansion of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa cabinet, with several party leaders and legislators expressing strong discontent at being ignored.
The controversy erupted after Chief Minister Sohail Afridi announced the expansion of his cabinet. The move came almost a year after he formed a slimmed-down cabinet in 2025. Sources said the decision was made after consultations with the party’s founding president, although a meeting with the president did not materialize before the announcement.
The expansion included six new ministers, four advisors and eight special assistants. However, the announcement sparked an immediate reaction from party members who felt marginalized.
Abdul Ghani Afridi, a close aide of the Chief Minister, publicly expressed his displeasure 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 name.
Former provincial minister Shaukat Yousafzai criticized the exclusion of Shangla district, pointing out that while the Chief Minister has the prerogative to choose his cabinet, some decisions must be made keeping in mind the party’s interests. He noted that federal minister Amir Maqam, opposition leader Dr Ebad and senator Niaz belong to Shangla, and wondered if ignoring the district would disappoint its people.
Several districts appear to have received disproportionate representation, while others were completely ignored. Malakand, Charsadda and Nowshera secured three positions each. On the contrary, key districts including North and South Waziristan, Bannu, Orakzai, Hangu and Bajaur did not receive representation despite having multiple PTI MPAs.
Some districts received multiple seats: 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 reinstated, raising eyebrows in party circles.
Notably, the cabinet largely avoided including unelected figures, with only Muzzmal Aslam reportedly doing so as an exception.
The cabinet expansion has highlighted the growing regional and factional fissures within the PTI in KP.
