Why Junaid Akram Replaced Ali Amin Gandapurr?

PTI MNA Junaid Akbar has been appointed as the party's president for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, replacing Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur.

The announcement was made by PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja on Saturday, following a decision by party founder Imran Khan. Just a day earlier, Akbar was unanimously elected as chairman of the National Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC), a position that had remained vacant since the General Elections in February 2024. According to a press release issued by the National Assembly, Junaid Akbar’s name was proposed by Dr. Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, Opposition Leader Omar Ayub Khan, and Senator Shibli Faraz. The nomination was supported by MNAs including Riaz Fatiana, Malik Aamir Dogar, Wazhiya Qamar, and Sardar Muhammad Yousaf Zaman. Speaking to reporters outside Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail, Salman Akram Raja explained the decision: “Ali Amin Gandapur has significant responsibilities as the chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, particularly in governance and maintaining law and order. At his request, Imran Khan decided to appoint Junaid Akbar Khan as the PTI president in KP.” Raja also mentioned that PTI member Aliya Hamza would be taking on a more prominent role within the party. “Imran Khan is keen for her to contribute further. We will convene soon to determine her specific responsibilities,” he said. Following his appointment, Junaid Akbar expressed his gratitude on X (formerly Twitter), stating, “As someone from a middle-class background, I am deeply grateful for this opportunity. This achievement reflects the value of hard work, something rarely seen in other parties.”