Islamabad – The political situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has once again become the focus of judicial and constitutional debate in Islamabad, where internal differences within the PTI have now reached the court.
Disgruntled PTI leader Sher Afzal Khan Marwat has challenged the resignation of former Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur and the subsequent change of government through a petition filed in the Federal Constitutional Court (FCC).
The petition has taken the position that the recent political changes in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa did not take place in accordance with constitutional requirements but were carried out under an alleged illegal influence. According to the petitioner, the entire process was carried out under the influence of external instructions rather than independent political decisions.
The petition has also questioned the role of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, claiming that despite being constitutionally incompetent, he was influencing party and provincial affairs, which falls under the category of violation of Articles 62 and 63 of the Constitution.
The court has been requested to declare the resignations given on October 8 and 11, 2025, ineffective, as they were not the result of any free will. The petition further stated that the entire process of changing the chief minister was done outside the constitutional ambit.
The petition also challenged the official notification issued on October 15, 2025, under which Sohail Afridi was appointed as the new chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The petitioner is of the view that when the basic resignation itself is legally dubious, then all the administrative actions taken as a result of it also become ineffective.
It has been further stated that the Constitution of Pakistan provides political and democratic protection to the citizens, and any unconstitutional intervention resulting in a change of government is tantamount to injustice to the public mandate.
The petition, citing various articles of the Constitution such as 2A, 4, 5, 17, 25 and 130, states that the autonomy of state institutions must be protected from all kinds of unconstitutional pressure. It has also been argued that if the instructions of an incompetent person are accepted in official decisions, it can pose a threat to the entire constitutional structure.
According to legal experts, this case could have important consequences not only for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa politics but also for the federal political structure, as it is the first time that the influence of political leadership and the constitutionality of resignations have been challenged in such a direct manner.
Political analysts say that if the court accepts this case for hearing, it could give rise to a new constitutional debate in Pakistan’s political history, the effects of which will be felt for years to come.
At present, all attention is focused on the initial decision of the Federal Constitutional Court, which will determine the future of this sensitive political dispute.
