PESHAWAR: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) leader Ali Amin Gandapur, a potential candidate for the office of KP chief minister, has decided to take oath in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly as an independent member.

Gandapur has not submitted his affidavit of joining Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) as he was eyeing the position of provincial president of PTI which would not be possible in case he joins SIC.

According to party sources, Gandapur would contest the election of partys provincial president during the intra-party elections scheduled for March 3.Meanwhile, PTI completed a consultation for the finalisation of names for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa cabinet to be composed of 15 to 20 members including ministers, advisers and special assistants.

According to party sources, a committee constituted for the purpose finalised the name of Ali Amin Gandapur as the chief minister, while the losing candidates in the general elections would be included in the cabinet as advisers and special assistants.

The party leadership recommended to give the position of PA deputy speaker to a female member, Suraiya Bibi from Chitral, as desired by the party chairman, the sources said.

The names recommended by the committee for the provincial cabinet would be forwarded to the PTI chairman for final approval, said party sources, adding two former ministers Taimur Saleem Jhagra and Kamran Bangash, who could not win the general elections, would also be included in the cabinet as advisers.

Published in Dawn, February 27th, 2024