PESHAWAR (Shahid Jan): Senior leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) and former provincial minister, Shaukat Yousafzai, has openly expressed strong reservations over the complete exclusion of the Shangla district from the recent Khyber Pakhtunkhwa cabinet expansion.
Taking to social media to voice his grievances, Yousafzai addressed Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, stating that while the Chief Minister retains the absolute right to form and choose his cabinet, certain critical decisions must be made in the wider interest of the party.
وزیراعلیٰ سہیل آفریدی کوکابینہ اپنی مرضی سے چننے کا اختیار ہےلیکن بعض فیصلے پارٹی کی خاطرکرنا پڑتے ہیں وفاقی وزیر امیر مقام ، اپوزیشن لیڈر ڈاکٹر عباد اور سینیٹر نیاز کا تعلق شانگلہ سے ہےبعض اضلاع کو 3,3 نمائندگیاں ملیں شانگلہ کو نمائندگی نہ دے کر کیا عوام کو مایوس نہیں کیا گیا۔ pic.twitter.com/IURScmqLzR
— Shaukat Ali Yousafzai (@SAYousafzaiPTI) May 17, 2026
He pointed out the stark political imbalance in the region, noting that high-profile opposition and federal figures, including Federal Minister Amir Muqam, Opposition Leader Doctor Ibadullah Khan, and Amir Muqam’s son Senator Niaz Ahmad Khan, all hail from Shangla.
The PTI leader highlighted that while some districts have been heavily favoured with up to three or four representations in the new provincial lineup, Shangla was left entirely unrepresented. Yousafzai warned that bypassing the district in key administrative roles has caused widespread disappointment and a sense of deprivation among the local population.
