2nd death anniversary: Bashir Bilour remembered in even darker times

Party leaders discuss security and policy at commemorative event at Nishtar Hall.

PESHAWAR:

On December 22, 2012, a suicide-bomber blew himself up in Dhaki Nalbandi, taking the life of Bashir Bilour, the man hailed as the “anti-Taliban ANP leader”, and eight others. Bashir had survived two assassination attempts before the third one successfully snuffed out the most vocal critic of the terrorist outfit.

On Monday, declared as the ‘Day of Shaheed Bashir’ by Awami National Party (ANP), the party commemorated the life of Bashir at Nishtar Hall where hundreds had gathered to pay glowing tributes to their late leader. Even as ANP looked back at the life and role of their fallen comrade, the focus of Monday’s event remained the all-permeating grief of the Army Public School (APS) massacre, and the policies which lead to the horrendous security lapse.

“Pakistan and Afghanistan should start negotiations and make China a guarantor to bring peace and stability to both countries,” said Asfandyar Wali Khan, the party president.

“Appreciating attempts by both countries to forge unity, it has to be said that solid steps still need to be taken,” said Asfandyar. “The policies formulated during the Ziaul Haq regime need to be changed now if we want durable peace,” he said.

The attack on the APS by terrorists on December 16 was a barbaric tragedy and the day should be declared as Yaum-e-Shuhada, said the ANP chief.

Discussing the sacrifices made by his party—targeted by militants for its views on secularism and nationalism—Asfandyar said ANP has borne the brunt of terrorism in its attempts to restore peace to the region. He also appreciated steps taken by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to put a stop to militancy, and the end of the protracted sit-ins of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

“No party or individual should disagree with even a single point of the parliamentary action committee devised by the prime minister,” he stated. The committee was formulated soon after the nation lost over 149 students, teachers and staff members. “We wasted a lot of time before taking effective action against militants in the country.”

Turning his attention to internally displaced persons (IDP), Asfandyar said, “The conditions in which IDPs are living in camps cause us to fear the creation of more militants.” Efforts need to be made to ensure their return and bring about reforms in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata), said the ANP chief. “Fata’s residents should be recognized as members of this country.”

Speaking at Bashir’s second death anniversary, his elder brother Ghulam Bilour said, “This year, the [Shaheed Bashir] day was marked by the tragic attack on Army Public School, making this day even more unbearable for us,” added Ghulam.

Bilour criticized the politics of PTI and asked them to maintain peace in the province and stop laying responsibility of the state of affairs on “third powers”.

Former chief minister Amir Haider Khan Hoti also expressed solidarity with APS victims.

“For years, ANP has said this is our own fight but it was never taken seriously by other political parties,” said Hoti, “No one accepted the reality; had they adopted a joint front against militancy a few years ago, today we might have been free of terrorism in Pakistan.”

Published in The Express Tribune, December 23^rd, 2014.