PESHAWAR: Hundreds of Awami National Party (ANP) workers gathered at the Namak Mandi on Thursday to commemorate the fourth death anniversary of Bashir Ahmad Bilour who was killed in a suicide attack.
Several front-line leaders of the party, including its provincial president Amir Haider Khan Hoti, veteran leaders and brothers of Bashir Bilour, Ghulam Ahmad Bilour and Ilyas Bilour, Mian Iftikhar Husain, Sardar Husain Babak and trade union activists turned up at the event.
Traders in the Namak Mandi kept their shops closed on the day.
Bashir Ahmad Bilour was the senior minister for local government and rural development in the provincial cabinet at the time of his death.
He was born on August 1, 1943 and started his political career by contesting elections in 1988. Although he lost those polls; he consistently won his constituency in 1990, 1993, 1997, 2002 and 2008 general election.
During his lifetime, he was awarded the Hilal-i-Shujaat by former president Asif Ali Zardari.
“In this protracted war against terrorism, thousands of Pakhtuns have died It is only because of our sacrifices that peace has been partially restored,” said Mian Iftikhar Hussain.
Husain, who also lost a son in the war, said that the best way to remember Bilour was to follow his ideology. Bilour, he said, defied the militant ideology, despite several attacks on his life.
According to Amir Haider Khan Hoti, the ANP’s provincial president Bashir Bilour was alive during the most difficult time faced by the country.
“Bilour showed us the way, he taught all countrymen how to fight and eradicate terrorism and militancy, Ghulam Ahmed Bilour told the crowd.
Criticising PTI leadership, he accused PTI leaders of failing to deliver.
“The province is facing an acute financial crunch, but they do not know how to steer the province on the path of development,” Hoti said.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 23rd, 2016.
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