Amidst challenges, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) clinched victory in the 2024 elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s northwestern region. In the wake of this triumph, the party’s founder, Imran Khan, nominated Ali Amin Gandapur as the prospective Chief Minister of the province.
Imran Khan, the 71-year-old former prime minister currently detained since August of the preceding year, officially announced Gandapur’s candidacy to the press. In the pivotal constituency of Dera Ismail Khan – NA-44, Ali Amin Khan Gandapur, a staunch PTI figure, emerged victorious, defeating Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman with a vote count of 92,244.
Ali Amin Gandapur, a prominent political figure, previously served as the Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan from October 5, 2018, to April 10, 2022. His political journey includes a stint as a member of the Provincial Assembly of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa from 2013 to 2018, during which he held the portfolio of Provincial Minister for Revenue. Hailing from a politically influential Pashtun family in Dera Ismail Khan, his father, Major (retired) Aminullah Gandapur, and his brother, Sardar Faisal Amin Khan Gandapur, have also been active in politics.
Gandapur’s educational background includes schooling in Dera Ismail Khan and Peshawar. He pursued his BA (honors) from Gomal University, marking the inception of his political career. In 2013, he entered the Provincial Assembly of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as a PTI member. Continuing his political ascent, he secured a seat in the National Assembly of Pakistan from Constituency NA-38 during the 2018 polls.
The nomination of Ali Amin Gandapur for the Chief Ministerial role mirrors PTI’s strategic maneuvering in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s political terrain. The party’s decisive electoral victory and the selection of Gandapur highlight the evolving political dynamics in the region. As events unfold, Gandapur’s leadership is poised to influence the future trajectory of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa under the PTI’s banner.
