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PTI-Backed Khurram Zeeshan Wins KP Senate Seat, Defeating Taj Mohammad Afridi
PTI-backed independent Khurram Zeeshan elected as KP senator with 91 votes, filling the seat vacated by Shibli Faraz. KP CM Afridi to announce ‘brief’ cabinet post-election.
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by Muhammad Hashir
2025-10-30
PTI-Backed Khurram Zeeshan Wins KP Senate Seat, Defeating Taj Mohammad Afridi

PTI-backed independent Khurram Zeeshan was elected on Thursday as a senator from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, securing the general seat previously held by PTI leader Shibli Faraz, who was disqualified following convictions related to the May 9, 2023 riots.

Zeeshan, who needed a minimum of 75 votes, received 91 out of 137 votes cast by KP lawmakers, defeating opposition-backed Taj Mohammad Afridi, who garnered 45 votes. Out of the 145-member KP Assembly, eight lawmakers abstained from voting, including four from the Awami National Party (ANP), while one ballot was rejected.

“Thank God,” Zeeshan wrote on Facebook after his victory. Speaking to reporters, he emphasized PTI’s goal of Pakistan’s haqeeqi azadi (true freedom), echoing a phrase frequently used by party founder Imran Khan.

The main contest was expected between Zeeshan and Afridi, while Irfan Saleem, also PTI-backed, served as Zeeshan’s covering candidate. KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi participated in the voting, publicly voicing support for Zeeshan on his X account.

The polling began at 9:30am and concluded at 4pm, with Provincial Election Commissioner Saeed Gul serving as the returning officer. Two other candidates — independent Abid Khan Yousafzai and PPP’s Nisar Khan — withdrew before the election.

Background of the Seat and Faraz’s Disqualification

The Senate seat became vacant after Shibli Faraz was disqualified and de-notified as a senator. Faraz had challenged his disqualification and the de-notification before the Peshawar High Court, but the court denied relief earlier this month, allowing the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to fill the vacant seat. A constitutional bench of the Supreme Court also rejected Faraz’s lawyer’s request to stay the by-poll.

KP Cabinet Formation and Political Context

Following the elections, CM Sohail Afridi confirmed he would announce a “brief” provincial cabinet. This follows repeated denials of meetings with the incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan, despite the IHC ordering jail officials to permit consultations.

Afridi emphasized the KP government’s role in recent Pakistan-Afghanistan counterterrorism talks, noting that the province, which has sacrificed over 80,000 lives in the fight against terrorism, should be fully consulted on security decisions. He also called for accountability for collateral damage from drone attacks and for a clearer policy to combat terrorism.

Zeeshan’s election consolidates PTI’s influence in the KP Senate delegation and sets the stage for the provincial government to move forward with cabinet formation and legislative priorities.

 
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