Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government unveils new Cabinet

Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province has announced a new cabinet under Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, marking his first major political move — made without direct consultation with imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan.

According to an official summary, the new cabinet includes 13 members: 10 ministers, two advisers, and one special assistant.

Those appointed as ministers are Meena Khan Afridi, Aftab Alam, Arshad Ayub, Amjad Ali, Fazal Shakoor, Khaleeq ur Rehman, Riaz Khan, Fakhar Jehan, Aqib Ullah, and Faisal Tarakai. Taj Muhammad and Muzamil Aslam were named advisers, while Shafi Jan was appointed special assistant.

Aslam, the only non-elected member of the cabinet, will continue as finance adviser, a position he also held under former Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur. Jan, meanwhile, joins the provincial cabinet for the first time.

Party insiders from Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) said the leadership had initially opposed the inclusion of any non-elected members. However, Aslam was ultimately retained after PTI Secretary-General Salman Akram Raja informed Afridi that Khan had directed his appointment.

Afridi had sought to consult Khan before finalizing the lineup, but authorities reportedly denied him permission to meet the PTI founder in Adiala Jail. Khan later conveyed his approval through family members and senior party officials, authorizing Afridi to form a cabinet of his own choosing.

Shafi Jan is expected to take over as government spokesperson, replacing Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif, who was dropped amid internal disagreements. Saif had served as spokesperson under multiple former chief ministers, including Gandapur and Mahmood Khan.

Several prominent PTI figures — including Zahir Shah Toru, Qasim Ali Shah, Fazal Hakeem, Pakhtun Yar, Nek Muhammad Khan, and Sajjad Barakwal — were excluded from the lineup despite being considered strong contenders.

PTI officials said the cabinet was formed in consultation with senior party leadership to ensure representation from key districts. They added that further expansion is likely once Afridi meets Khan.

Afridi was sworn in as chief minister on October 15, two days after being elected to replace Gandapur on Khan’s directive.