Ali Sheikh
PESHAWAR: In the recently held general elections in Pakistan, PTI-backed candidates have won majority seats from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. And media reports suggest that PTI leader Ali Amin Gandapur will become the next Chief Minister of the province.
Which means Peshawar will once again remain without a leader who can become the CM of the province. Last time it was around 40 years ago when Arbab Jehangir Khan became the CM in 1985 after winning the elections from Peshawar. Since then KP has got CM’s from cities other than Peshawar.
In 2008 when Awami National Party emerged as the largest political party, it was expected that the party would announced its stalwart Bashir Ahmad Bilour Shaheed, but on contrary Amir Haider Khan Hoti a relative of ANP Chief Asfandyar Wali was announced as the CM.
Arbab Jehangir Khan was followed by Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao (from Charsadda) as CM Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He remained in the office from December 1988 to August 1990. Mir Afzal Khan from Mardan assumed the role of chief minister from August 1990 to July 1993, while Pir Sabir Shah, elected from Haripur, served as the chief executive of the province from August 1993 to February 1994 and then Sherpao once again from April 1994 to November 1996 served as Chief Minister.
After the 1997 elections, Sardar Mehtab Ahmad Khan, from Abbottabad, held the chief ministerial position from February 1997 to October 12, 1999.
In 2002, the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA), a six-party religious alliance, came into power and appointed Akram Khan Durrani from Bannu as the chief minister from November 30, 2002, to October 11, 2007.
After the 2008 elections, Ameer Haider Hoti from Mardan assumed the role of provincial chief executive and served from March 31, 2008, to March 20, 2013. The PTI won the 2013 elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, with Pervez Khattak from Nowshera serving as chief minister from May 31, 2013, to June 6, 2018.
In a rare occurrence for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the PTI once again secured victory in the 2018 general elections. However, instead of Khattak, Mahmood Khan from Swat was appointed as the chief minister. Khan led the provincial government from August 17, 2018, until January 2023, when he dissolved the KP Assembly ahead of its scheduled tenure.
