Sardar Ali Amin Khan Gandapur is a Pakistani politician who served as the 18th Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa from March 2024 to October 2025. He also served as the Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan from 5 October 2018 to 10 April 2022. He had been a member of the National Assembly of Pakistan from August 2018 till January 2023.
Previously, he was a member of the Provincial Assembly of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa from 2013 to 2018 and served as Provincial Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for Revenue for the same period of time. He contested his first election in 2013, winning in PK-94 Dera Ismail Khan, he would win again later on in 2018. He contested 2 seats, PK-97 Dera Ismail Khan City 1, and NA-38, winning both seats. In 2024, he was elected again to a seat in the Provincial Assembly, winning in PK-113 Dera Ismail Khan.
Early life and education Born in 1978 as Sardar Ali Amin Khan Gandapur, he belongs to a politically active Gandapur tribe of Pashtuns from Kulachi, Dera Ismail Khan. His father Aminullah Gandapur served as a caretaker cabinet member under Pervez Musharraf.
Gandapur received his early education from Saint Helen's Public School in his hometown, while he matriculated from Police Public School in Peshawar. He did his intermediate studies from Government College University, Lahore and graduated from the National College of Arts, Lahore, majoring in fashion design. He then attended Gomal University for his Bachelor's (Hons) degree.
Political career He became a member of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in 2007, and was elected as the party's South Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region President in the 2013 intra-party elections.
He was elected to the Provincial Assembly of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as a candidate of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) from the PK-64 (Dera Ismail Khan-I) in the 2013 Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provincial election. He received 14,047 votes and defeated an independent candidate, Qayyum Nawaz.
Following his successful election, he was inducted into the provincial Khyber Pakhtunkhwa cabinet of Chief Minister Pervez Khattak and was made Provincial Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for Revenue and Estate.
He was elected to the National Assembly of Pakistan as a candidate of PTI from Constituency NA-38 (Dera Ismail Khan-I) in the 2018 Pakistani general election.
On 5 October 2018, he was inducted into the federal cabinet of Prime Minister Imran Khan and was appointed Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan, a position which he served until 10 April 2022.
Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (2024-2025)
He was elected to the Provincial Assembly of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa a second time in the 2024 Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provincial election, running on an independent ticket affiliated with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf. Following his successful election as a Member of the Provincial Assembly (MPA), he was voted in as Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa by a majority of 90 votes with the runner-up, Ibadullah Khan, receiving 16.
As Chief Minister, Gandapur expressed commitment to resuming the province's development initiatives. He has prioritized the restoration and expansion of the Sehat Insaf Card for public welfare and highlighted the establishment of lasting peace as a top priority. Gandapur has also pledged to work with the federal government to safeguard the province's rights.
On 8 October 2025, he tendered his resignation from the position of Chief Minister. Later, a political crisis arose in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. On 14 October, the crisis came to an end when the Peshawar High Court (PHC) ruled that the post of Chief Minister became vacant when Gandapur tendered his resignation, further confirmed by his speech on the floor of the Provincial Assembly on 13 October.
Healthcare Within the first 10 days in office, on 12 March 2024, Ali Amin Gandapur and his government restored medical facilities under the Sehat Insaf Card after it had been suspended for almost a year by the previous caretaker government due to a lack of funds. In September 2024, free healthcare coverage under the Sehat Insaf Card was restored again after the State Life Insurance Company temporarily discontinued it due to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government's failure to clear dues. The facility was resumed following the government's assurance to pay Rs6 billion to the company.
The government announced a social protection life insurance facility to be added into the Sehat Insaf Card's Plus Program. The life insurance scheme is the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government's second major social security initiative after the Sehat Insaf Card, offering compensation of Rs500,000 to Rs1,000,000 to the heirs of deceased family heads. Additionally, a ‘stringent’ crackdown on drugs was ordered by Gandapur, as part of an anti-drug plan under which 2,397 drug addicts were rehabilitated with 2,000 more planned in Peshawar and seizures of illegal drugs.
In January 2025, it was reported that only 15 percent (Rs 5.29 billion) was spent from the 2024 health budget of Rs 232 bn, in the first half of the fiscal year. In addition, the Sehat Card continued to face Rs 12 billion in unpaid dues, while a proposed air ambulance project "remained buried in bureaucratic red tape". An anyonmous healthcare official said that "[d]espite claims of universal health coverage, many people in KP are still struggling to avail even basic healthcare. KP and its merged areas still lack Basic Health Units and District Headquarter Hospitals hence compelling people to shift their patients to Peshawar for treatment." Expansion of specialized cardiac care beyond Peshawar has "gone unfulfilled" according to The Express Tribune.
Mines and Minerals In April 2025, the Gandapur government introduced The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mines and Minerals Bill, 2025, in the Provincial Assembly, aiming to amend the 2017 mining law by establishing a Mineral Investment Facilitation Authority, digitising licensing processes, and introducing measures against illegal mining. Chief Minister Gandapur defended the bill as necessary for curbing corruption and boosting provincial revenue, dismissing criticism as "propaganda". The proposal faced significant opposition from opposition parties, mine owners, and some within PTI, who alleged it risked undermining provincial autonomy under the 18th Amendment. Passage was linked to approval from PTI founder Imran Khan, and the bill remained pending without enactment by the end of Gandapur's tenure.
Infrastructure and property On 17 October 2024, Gandapur and his Finance advisor, Muzzammil Aslam, approved several key development projects for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK). These flagship projects include the establishment of the province's own Islamic Takaful insurance company, a solarisation program, and a home-stay tourism scheme. Other approved projects include the construction of the Peshawar-Dera Ismail Khan Motorway, a 120-kilometre-long transmission line, the creation of a trade corridor hub, and a debt management fund. The provincial government aims to complete these initiatives by the end of 2027.
In a meeting with the KP Auqaf Department, Gandapur directed the initiation of GIS mapping and the creation of an Assets Management Unit for auqaf properties, together with a Quran Mahal in Peshawar to preserve old Qu'ran copies. In another meeting the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Local Governments (Property Lease) Rules, 2024 was announced, extending the lease period of new "large-scale investments" of up to 90-years.
Local government On 5 September 2024, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police broke up protests by local government representatives using tear gas, water cannons, and baton charges. Local representatives protested against the withholding of funds since the 2021 local elections three years ago, and a failure to give powers at the tehsil level as well as establish local government departments, despite the end of the district governments. Protestors broke the gate of the provincial assembly and began to march towards the CM's house. Protests ended after a delegation from the chief minister.
In October 2024, the Mayor of Mardan criticised the provincial government for not having "released a single penny out of our cumulative share of Rs94 billion" assigned to local governments in the Annual Development Program (ADP), adding that it had brought local services to a "standstill". CM Gandapur informed local body representatives that due to financial constraints it could not release any funds. In a meeting with the Gandapur, local leaders called off protests planned for October 30 after receiving promises of financing and amendments to tehsil laws. That month on the 20th, local government elections were held in 17 districts, with The News International reporting that polling data "pointed to a lack of public interest in the elections", one individual interviewed said they did not vote in local elections, due to a failure by local governments to deliver service. Local representatives criticised amendments in 2022 as having "rendering them ‘inefficient’ and ‘financially crippled.’"
Environment As part of Gandapur's projects, he also began the Billion Tree Plus project which aims to curb rising deforestation in the province, the project plans to increase forest cover by 12%.
Conservationists criticised Gandapur's government for approving the clearance of over six million cubic feet of timber, the government's handling of the ecological crisis as well as alleged complicity in ecological vandalism through its deforestation plan, which drew harsh criticism from the Sarhad Conservation Network (SCN) for alarming rates of deforestation.
Solarization Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur announced the KP Solar Scheme, a project to deliver free solar panels to 130,000 citizens in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The project was inaugurated on 15 August 2024. It included solar panels, wiring and panel stands, through online registration. Preference would be given to residences in the hotter areas of the province.
In May 2025, however, the solarization initiative stalled due to "bureaucratic hurdles", high costs, and "violations of procurement rules". After the Pakhtunkhwa Energy Development Organisation (PEDO) completed financial and technical tenders without approval of the projects PC-I, a violation of rules. The opening of bids and contracting was also without approval. The Provincial Development Working Party (PDWP) withheld PC-I approval, citing high costs, for more than three months. Meeting on April 22, the PDWP again deferred it. Project tenders were initially issued in December 2024, and technical & financial proposals opened in January 2025. The KP assembly Public Accounts Committee (PAC) also called for an inquiry into a Rs 200 million advance payment for Mardan mosque solarization. The same month, The Express Tribune reported that an anonymous source said "many logistical and technical elements were still being 'worked out,' raising doubts about the readiness of the project."
Anti-unemployment measures To address unemployment in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gandapur initiated three new welfare programs under the wing of the Ehsaas Programme. These programs include: the Ehsaas Rozgar Programme, Ehsaas Nojawan Rozgar Programme and Ehsaas Hunar Programmes. The Ehsaas Rozgar Programme and Nojawan Rozgar Programmes aim to give soft loans of Rs10 million or interest-free loans of Rs200,000 for young business owners or youth attempting to start a business. Meanwhile, the Ehsaas Hunar Programme aims to give interest-free loans of Rs500,000 for new businesses owners to curb unemployment. Additionally, Gandapur launched the Ehsaas Apna Ghar Programme initiative which allows for loans of up to Rs1.5 million for the construction or expansion of residential homes.