Government Questions Legality of KP Cabinet
Prime Minister’s Adviser on Political Affairs, Rana Sanaullah, has claimed that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) provincial cabinet would be rendered invalid if it was formed on the advice of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan.
Speaking to the media on Thursday, Sanaullah referred to the precedent set by Pakistan’s Supreme Court in the 2017 disqualification case of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. He stated that, according to that ruling, any person convicted by a court cannot head a political party or participate in its consultative or decision-making processes.
He added that if such a person influences government decisions, those actions are considered null and void under the law. If the KP cabinet was constituted with the consultation or approval of Imran Khan, who has been convicted by the court, it cannot stand legally, Sanaullah asserted.
Legal and Political Context
Rana Sanaullah’s statement touches on one of Pakistan’s most sensitive political issues — the extent to which disqualified or convicted leaders can continue influencing party or government affairs.
Imran Khan, Pakistan’s former Prime Minister and PTI founder, has faced multiple convictions and disqualifications since his ouster from office in 2022. He is currently imprisoned following court verdicts in several cases, including charges of corruption and violating state secrets.
Legal experts have long debated whether Khan can continue directing political decisions from behind bars. The Election Commission of Pakistan had already barred him from holding public office, citing the Supreme Court’s earlier judgments.
Sanaullah’s remarks suggest that the federal government may challenge the KP cabinet’s legitimacy if evidence emerges that its formation involved Khan’s direct input.
PTI Rejects Allegations
Responding to Sanaullah’s claim, PTI leader Barrister Umair Niazi dismissed the statement as baseless and politically motivated. Speaking on the same television program, Niazi accused the federal government of spreading propaganda instead of focusing on governance.
He challenged the government to first prove any meeting between KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur and Imran Khan. If you can establish that the cabinet was formed on Khan’s directions, and the court rules it unconstitutional, we are ready to sacrifice our government, Niazi said.
Niazi further emphasized that all decisions of the KP government were made strictly within the constitutional and legal framework and that Imran Khan had no direct role in the cabinet’s formation.
Escalating Political Rivalry
The exchange highlights the deepening rift between the ruling coalition in Islamabad and the PTI-led government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Political observers say such confrontations could further strain Pakistan’s already fragile political stability, especially as the country faces economic challenges and ongoing protests.
Analysts note that the question of Imran Khan’s political influence remains at the center of Pakistan’s current power struggle — one that continues to shape the country’s political and judicial landscape.
