Bollywood star Shahrukh Khan’s cousin withdraws from race for PK-77

Noor Jahan says she withdrew in favour of ANP candidate at the request of nationalist party

PESHAWAR: Noor Jahan, alias Munni, a first cousin of Bollywood superstar Shahrukh Khan, made headlines in the national media earlier this month when she decided to contest the upcoming elections from a Peshawar constituency.

Noor Jahan, a resident of the Shah Wali Katal area of Peshawar city, submitted her nomination papers for the PK-77 constituency of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, in the first week of June. However, in a surprising move she withdrew her nomination papers on Friday.

“I’ve withdrawn my nomination papers on request of my party,” Noor Jahan told The Express Tribune.



Noor Jahan’s family has a long association with the Awami National Party (ANP). Her grandparents were the followers of the Khudai Khidmatgar movement of Ghaffar Khan, the grandfather of ANP chief Asfandyar Wali Khan.

She had filed nomination papers as an independent candidate for general seat. “ANP leaders frequently visited my place with a request to withdraw my candidature in favour of the party’s candidate for the seat, Umer Mohmand,” Noor Jahan said.



“They told me that my election campaign was damaging the position of the party’s candidate in the constituency. So I decided to withdraw in favour of the party’s candidate,” she added.

Noor Jahan said she wanted to contest the elections to become the voice of the voiceless and oppressed women of the province. “I wanted to speak for the women of K-P on the floor of the assembly,” she added. “Passing resolutions for women’s rights does not make any difference. The party elders have assured me of their complete support in realising my aims.”