PTI MNA Junaid Akbar has been chosen by party founder Imran Khan to replace Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur as the party’s president in KP, PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja said on Saturday.

A day ago, Akbar was elected chairman of the National Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) unopposed, filling a position left vacant since the General Elections in February 2024.

“Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, Opposition Leader Omar Ayub Khan, Senator Shibli Faraz and others proposed the name of Junaid Akbar Khan,” a press release from the NA read, adding that he received support from MNAs including Riaz Fatiana, Malik Aamir Dogar, Wazhiya Qamar and Sardar Muhammad Yousaf Zaman.

Talking to reporters today outside Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail, Raja said, “Ali Amin Gandapur has a great deal of responsibilities as KP chief minister. He faces many challenges in governance and ensuring law and order.

“Therefore, at his (Gandapur’s) request, PTI founder Imran Khan decided that Junaid Akbar Khan will become PTI president in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.”

Fielding further questions, the secretary general added that PTI member Aliya Hamza will be assigned a greater role in the party. “Imran Khan wants her to have a bigger role. We will have a meeting and decide what role to assign her.”

After being appointed PTI KP president, Akbar issued a statement on X expressing gratitude for his appointment. “I am a middle-class person and I got this position because of hard work. Which is not found in other parties,” he wrote.

Speaking to reporters, he said, “Do not confuse our good faith with weakness. We want the rift between the public and institutions to be closed. We will not be scared or pressured, because we are not a party that can be scared or pressured.”