Bilour’s death anniversary: Five years on, is K-P any safer now?

ANP leaders call for promoting Bacha Khan’s philosophy of non-violence

PESHAWAR: The fifth death anniversary of Bashir Ahmad Bilour, one of the leading voices against militancy and extremism of his time, was observed in the city on Friday.

It was on December 22, 2012, when a suicide-bomber blew himself up in Dhaki Nalbandi, taking the life of Bilour, the man hailed as the anti-Taliban ANP leader, and eight others but Bilour’s war is still on.

Awami National Party has declared the December 22 ‘Bashir Bilour day’ and asked the government to observe the day officially.

He was a senior provincial minister and leader of the Awami National Party (ANP) and in the past has also survived two assassination attempts before the third one successfully snuffed out the most vocal critic of the terrorist outfit.

“Is there any peace now?” Mian Iftikhar Hussain, the central general secretary of ANP asked the party workers gathering to remember Bilour. They say peace is restored. What kind of peace it is as whenever the terrorists want, they are attacking us? They have attacked in Quetta, Peshawar, Waziristan and everywhere.



“Our sacrifices were for peace,” said Mian, who has himself lost his only son in a terror attack. “A unanimous 20 point agenda was made after the APS massacre but neither the K-P nor the federal government has tried to implement it.”  He asked for strong action against terrorists.

He said the philosophy of non-violence taught by Bacha Khan was the guiding light to attain peace in the region and beyond.

Haroon Bilour, son of Bashir Bilour said he was proud of the sacrifices the people, police and armed forces have rendered for the cause of peace. “I’ve no words to express myself but I am proud of my father,” he said.

Bashir’s brother Ghulam Ahmad Bilour said he was not worried about his life rather he always cared about his people.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 23^rd, 2017.