Entering democratic fold: Six newly-elected lawmakers sworn in

Samar Bilour and Aghaz Ikramullah Gandapur among other newly inducted office bearers, took oath at the KP assembly

PESHAWAR: As many as six newly elected members of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) assembly took the oath of MPA on Tuesday.

The new inductees included Awami National Party’s (ANP) Samar Bilour, the widow of ANP’s slain leader Haroon Bilour.

The house of Gandapur also made a return to the assembly as Aghaz Ikramullah Gandapur, the son of former provincial agriculture minister Ikramullah Gandapur, took oath on Tuesday.

Speaker Mushtaq Ghani administered the oaths to the new members of the house.

Others who took oath on Tuesday included former K-P chief minister Pervez Khattak’s son Ibrahim and Khattak’s brother Liaquat Khan. Others included Aqibullah Khan, the brother of National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser and Abdus Salam.

As the speaker pronounced the names of Samar and Aghaz, the assembly gave them a rousing reception.

Samar, who had won PK-78 — the seat which was to be contested by her husband Haroon before he was killed in a suicide bombing — was accompanied by her father former Sindh minister Irfanullah Marwat and son Danyal Bilour.

Samar thanked her party and the joint opposition for supporting her during a tough time for her family.

“My presence here today is a huge victory in the war against terrorism. It is revenge from the terrorists,” she said in her speech, adding that she will strive for the people of her constituency who had voted for her.

Aghaz, who becomes the youngest ever lawmaker of the assembly, vowed to strive for the rights of his people and to meet their expectations.

“I am following the legacy of my martyred father and uncle (Israrullah Khan Gandapur) and grandfather who were [all] part of this assembly. I am thankful to my people and my party for supporting me and my family in the time of need,” Aghaz said.

His status as the youngest member of the house was not lost on him as he spoke with a confidence belying his age.

“I am capable enough to hold [my own in] the assembly even if I am the youngest among you,” he stated astutely.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 24^th, 2018.