Peshawar   -   Faisal Karim Kundi, a prominent leader of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), took the oath as the Governor of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa after his appointment was approved by President Asif Ali Zardari earlier in the day.

The outgoing Governor Ghulam Ali, affiliated with the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), held the position for approximately 18 months. He took office in November 2022 following the Pakistan Democratic Movement’s assumption of power at the federal level, following a successful no-confidence motion against former prime minister Imran Khan.

Ghulam Ali has remained attached to the business community. However, Faisal Karim Kundi is considered a more educated governor - an office which also oversees the higher education sector in the province.

The oath ceremony was conducted by Chief Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim of the Peshawar High Court.

Kundi competed in the general elections on February 8, challenging the incumbent chief minister Ali Amin Gandapur in NA-44. Maulana Fazlur Rehman, the chief of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam, was another prominent contender in the election.

Ali Amin, who secured victory in both the National and Provincial Assembly seats, subsequently relinquished the position upon assuming the role of chief minister. Consequently, his brother Faisal Amin emerged victorious in the subsequent by-polls for the vacant seat.

President Zardari also approved the appointments of Sardar Saleem Haider and Jaffar Khan Mandokhail as governors of Punjab and Balochistan, respectively. Kundi, known for his loyalty to the PPP, was chosen over two other party members, Zahir Shah and Syed Muhammad Ali Shah Bacha, who were also being considered for the role.

Previously, Kundi has served as the PPP’s central information secretary and has been a member of the central executive committee as well as the foreign liaison committee. He gained prominence after being elected as the youngest deputy speaker of the National Assembly following the 2008 general elections.

Throughout his career, Kundi has established a reputation internationally through his involvement in global dialogues and engagements with diplomats. He advocates strongly for infrastructure development, educational reforms, and philanthropy, and is a firm believer in dialogue and policy reform.

In addition to his parliamentary roles, Kundi has served as an aide to the prime minister and held positions such as PPP KP secretary general. He has also been actively involved with organisations like the Young Parliamentarians Forum (YPF) and the Youth Parliament, in addition to his work with the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU).