Pakistan: Chief Minister KP Ali Amin Gandapur on Wednesday announced his resignation from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) chief minister slot, saying he was stepping down on the directives of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan.

“I am resigning from the office of chief minister on the instructions of our party founder,” Gandapur said in a statement.
Irrigation Minister Aqi­b­­ullah Khan and Educ­ation Minister Faisal Khan Tarakai, whose removal was reportedly approved by Imran Khan in the meeting with the CM, shared their ide­n­t­ical resignation letters on social media.

“With utmost res­p­ect, I, Faisal Khan Ta­r­­akai, hereby tender my resignation from the office of mi­­n­i­ster for elementary and secondary ed­u­c­a­t­ion, gov­e­rnm­ent of Khyber Pak­h­t­u­nk­h­wa,” Mr Tarakai said.He expressed full support for provincial minister Sohail Afridi — tipped to be the next chief minister, saying that he would have his complete “backing and support.”

Gandapur added that all PTI members would move forward together for the release of the party founder and the implementation of the party’s policies.

His statement comes shortly after PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja confirmed Gandapur’s removal, saying that the decision was made by the party’s founder.

“It is correct that Ali Amin Gandapur is being removed from the office of chief minister,” Raja told journalists in Rawalpindi, adding that Afridi has been nominated as the new chief minister of KP.