Tug-of-war between Punjab and Sindh is being seen more as a rivalry between the ruling Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) &its ally at centre
Editorial: 'Coup d'état' in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province: The political spectacle continues in Pakistan. On one hand, there is a tug-of-war between Punjab and Sindh provinces over the sharing of canal waters and flood relief funds, on the other hand, the Chief Minister of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province (Wazir-e-Ala in Pakistani terminology) Ali Amin Gandapur has been dramatically dismissed.
The tug-of-war between Punjab and Sindh is being seen more as a rivalry between the ruling Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) and its ally at the centre - the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), less as a political antagonism. This does not pose any threat of destabilising the governments of the two provinces.
The danger lies in a militancy-ridden province like Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa where the ongoing political war is, in fact, a product of the civil war within the ruling PTI (Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf). This could also prove to be the reason for political instability in this province and also for tribal violence. In this province, Ali Amin Gandapur resigned from the post of Chief Minister on Wednesday on the instructions of party supremo Imran Khan. Gandapur is considered the chieftain of the Kulachi area of ​​Dera Ismail Khan district. The Pashtuns of this area are upset with the insult of their chieftain.
According to Pakistani media, Gandapur was removed from office due to an 'AK' between Imran Khan's wife, Bushra Bibi, and his eldest sister, Aleema Khatun. Stories of enmity between Bushra Bibi and Aleema have been popular on social media as well as in mainstream media. But as both of them united to remove Gandapur, Imran was forced to distance himself from his staunch loyalist Gandapur. Gandapur kept asking for two days to meet him in Adiala Jail near Rawalpindi, but Imran did not agree to this meeting.
This was a clear indication that he should abdicate. 35-year-old Sohail Afridi has been nominated as the new Chief Minister in place of Gandapur. Sohail was sworn in as the Education Minister in Gandapur’s cabinet on Imran’s instructions on October 1. Before this, he was the Chief Minister’s Assistant on Communication Affairs. The former president of PTI’s student wing Insaf Students Federation (ISF) and the first-time MLA from Bada constituency in Khyber district, Afridi’s rise is considered miraculous by PTI constituents.
The discussion is that Aleema Khatoon made his appointment possible. There were three factions active within PTI against Gandapur. The fact that none of these leaders were considered fit for the post of Chief Minister shows that Aleema Khatun wanted a Chief Minister in the Pathan-majority border province who would remain her puppet. Gandapur was also her choice, but a month after she became the Chief Minister of the border province on March 3, 2024, she started showing that she could not be run by remote control.
This kind of independent approach eventually cost her dearly. Imran Khan has four sisters. Of these, Rubina Khanum has never been much in the media spotlight as she lives in Britain. The other three - Aleema Khanum, Uzma Khanum and Hani Khanum - have been in the news during Imran's tenure as Prime Minister due to land scandals and leading protests after his detention. It has also been often heard that the three do not get along at all with Bushra Bibi. Making such family interference and strife a part of his politics is costing Imran Khan politically.
In the 145-member Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, the number of pro-Imran members is 92. The opposition has 52 members, of whom 18 belong to Jamaat-e-Islami (Fazlur). Due to such political calculations, the existence of the provincial government is apparently not in danger. But in a province where loyalty to family or tribe takes precedence over political loyalty, it does not take long for a Chaudhry to be lost.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's 'PML-N' and Bilawal Bhutto's PPP are trying to snatch the only province with a Chaudhry from Imran Khan's PTI. What seemed impossible to them a month ago is now starting to seem possible. Therefore, the next boiling point in Pakistani politics is not far off.
