PESHAWAR: It is not simple politics of legacy in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. For some, the road is full of tragedies and for those, who have been lucky enough to already have family members in power, it was a smooth going to the polls.

Samar Bilour from Peshawar and Aghaz Ikram Gandapur from Dera Ismail Khan, who were elected MPAs in the recent by-elections, have paid a heavy price for continuing their families’ political legacies. Both entered parliamentary politics under compulsion and not by choice.

They contested polls to reincarnate their loved ones snatched by terrorism. Samar and Aghaz took oath of their offices along with four other newly-elected MPAs on Tuesday. Aghaz has become the youngest lawmaker of the KP Assembly.

Family members of terror victims among six sworn in as MPAs

Speaker Mushtaq Ahmad Ghani administered the oath to the members followed by the offering of fateha for Haroon Bilour and Ikramullah Gandapur. The late first lady Nusrat Bhutto, who died on Oct 23, 2011, was also remembered on the occasion with the chair paying tribute to her services for democracy.

The provincial assembly has a history of tragedies and has lost at least seven members to terrorism since 2008.

Samar Bilour and Aghaz Gandapur passed through double tragedies. Samar’s husband, Barrister Haroon, along with 13 workers of the Awami National Party was killed in a suicide attack in Peshawar on July 10 when he was busy in electioneering.

Her father-in-law, Bashir Ahmad Bilour, a seasoned lawmaker, was killed in a suicide attack on Dec 22, 2012, during his election campaign. Samar is the first woman MPA of the ANP elected on general seat after Begum Nasim Wali Khan.

“My husband and father-in-law fell victim to terrorism. My victory is revenge and I am thankful to my party and joint opposition for extending support to me in this difficult time,” she said in her maiden speech after taking oath.

Samar’s father Irfanullah Marwat and sole son Danyal Bilour were present in the speaker’s gallery on the occasion.

The opening remarks of Aghaz Gandapur were heart wrenching too. Like Samar, Aghaz also passed through tragedies to reach the assembly. Aghaz lost father Ikramullah and uncle Israrullah in suicide attacks on July 22, 2018 and Oct 6, 2013, respectively.

“Like my father, my uncle and grandfather remained members of this august house and served this province and country. Now I am following their political legacy,” he said. His grandfather, Inayatullah Khan, had served as the chief minister.

Entry of Aqibullah, Ibrahim Khan Khattak and Liaqat Khattak to the assembly, who also took the oath, reflects strengthening of hereditary politics in the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf.

Ibrahim Khan and Liaqat Khattak are son and brother of defence minister Pervez Khattak, who vacated two provincial assembly seats from Nowshera after win in the July 25 election. The nephew and uncle have been allotted seats in the same row in the house.

Same is the case of Aqibullah, who apparently got ticket because of his elder brother and National Assembly speaker, Asad Qaisar.

The speaker vacated his provincial assembly seat from Swabi and got ticket for his brother.

However, Abdul Salam Afridi of the PTI came on merit from Mardan.

Similarly, Faisal Ameen Gandapur, who took oath on Monday, is the brother of federal minister Ali Ameen Gandapur.

Published in Dawn, October 24th, 2018

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