Is Pakistan’s KP government facing political turbulence?

Political developments in Pakistan following a Supreme Court ruling on reserved parliamentary seats have led to growing speculation about the stability of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-led government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a key province bordering Afghanistan.

While no formal move has yet been initiated to challenge the provincial setup, high-level meetings in Islamabad and a strongly worded press conference by KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur have added to speculation that the province could soon become the next battleground in the country’s widening political standoff.

On Wednesday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi. According to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office, the governor briefed the premier on the overall national political situation.

Later the same day, the prime minister also met with Awami National Party (ANP) President Aimal Wali Khan. The meeting, according to official sources, involved an exchange of views on the broader political climate.

In response to the political chatter, KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur held a press conference in Islamabad, warning that if the PTI-led government in KP were toppled through political maneuvering, he would exit politics altogether.

“This is a tested party,” Gandapur said, referring to PTI. “We will not submit to any illegal, unconstitutional or unlawful attempt to remove us.” He challenged both political rivals and state institutions, asserting that while PTI’s mandate may have been “stolen” in other provinces, the people and leadership of KP had managed to defend theirs.

‘First our seats, now our rights’

Gandapur insisted that those in power lacked the constitutional capacity to lawfully remove his government, and argued that recent developments -- particularly the loss of reserved seats -- represented another attempt to undermine PTI’s mandate. “First, our general seats were snatched. Now, our reserved seats have been taken away,” he said.

He reiterated that PTI had not, and would not, request any political party to refrain from bringing a no-confidence motion in KP. “Whoever wants to try, should go ahead,” he said.

The chief minister also criticized the federal government over its treatment of Imran Khan, claiming that party leadership was barred from meeting the PTI founder ahead of the provincial budget session. “He wanted to consult us on the budget as our patron-in-chief. It was his political right,” Gandapur said. “Still, I had a vision of Imran and presented the budget in line with his ideas.”

He highlighted that the KP government had managed to achieve a PKR 250 billion surplus -- described as a first in the province’s history.

Gandapur questions state's role in rising terrorism

Turning to security concerns, Gandapur raised alarms over the infiltration of militants into KP. “How are terrorists entering the province?” he asked, stressing that border control was a federal responsibility. He claimed that 80 percent of militants currently operating in KP were of Afghan origin. “We support dialogue with the Taliban—but not with terrorists,” he added.

Addressing the media, Gandapur urged journalists to question the powerful quarters about the rise in terrorism and about the public’s sentiment toward the current power structure. “Ask them about their popularity -- even after the war with India,” he said. “Imran Khan’s popularity is 88 percent, even according to their own survey.”

PTI reaffirms unity, prepares for protest

Also present at the press conference was PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, who reaffirmed the party’s unity under Imran Khan’s leadership and confirmed plans for a nationwide protest campaign. “We held a party meeting today. We are united under Khan and will continue our political movement,” he said.

Gohar also pushed back against media reports suggesting that PTI was unwilling to engage in dialogue with the federal government. “That is completely false,” he said. “Khan has always given us the green signal for talks, but past efforts didn’t succeed -- mainly because we weren’t even allowed to meet him in prison.”

“We’ve never asked anyone not to bring a no-confidence motion in KP. Whoever wants to try, should try,” he reiterated.

Earlier in the day, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) issued a notification implementing the Supreme Court’s June 27 decision, which removed PTI’s claim to dozens of reserved seats for women and minorities across the national and provincial assemblies.

In its second meeting on the matter, the ECP reallocated the 77 seats to political parties other than PTI, significantly reshaping legislative strength across key houses.