PESHAWAR: The former MPA and provincial spokesperson of Awami National Party, Samar Haroon Bilour quit the party and joined Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz after holding a meeting with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad on Wednesday.

She was elected to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly as a candidate of ANP from PK-78 constituency in 2018 by elections. She took part in the polls after the death of her husband Haroon Ahmad Bilour in a suicide attack on his election rally in Peshawar city.

Some of the major political parties except Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf had also supported her on the general seat in solidarity as this seat was always won by her father-in-law Bashir Ahmad Bilour, who was also killed in a suicide attack in 2012.

She lost the seat to PTI’s Meena Khan, who contested the polls as independent candidate, in the 2024 general elections.

Aimal Wali says her decision to quit the party is not surprising

“A little life update …. Due to personal reasons I am resigning from my membership of Awami National Party. I continue to hold the Tehreek, its workers and Walibagh in the highest regard,” Ms Bilour posted on her X (former Twitter) account.

The message added: “Second after a meeting with the Prime Minister, @CMShehbaz, I have accepted his kind offer to join his party @pmln_org and efforts to uplift the country. Thirdly it is my first born’s Nikah ceremony tonight, so will reply to everyone who called and texted after Mommy Duty is over …..”

According to PML-N sources, she said goodbye to ANP as a result of differences with its leadership over different issues. Social media reports suggested that Ms Bilour might be nominated for a National Assembly reserved seat for women by PML-N.

The party has to nominate two candidates for two seats of MNAs on reserved seats from KP, for which last date for filing of nomination papers is July 10. The party has been assigned five of the 10 reserved seats of MNAs from KP, but as its priority list was short of two candidates, therefore, Election Commission of Pakistan asked it to submit two more names to fill those seats.

Ms Bilour was not available for comments.

Bilour family has a long association with ANP and that is why her decision surprised all and sundry.

“Samar Haroon Bilour’s decision to leave the party is not surprising, as several colleagues had already informed me about this possibility,” ANP central president Senator Aimal Wali Khan said while reacting to her decision of joining PML-N.

He appreciated Haji Ghulam Ahmad Bilour for his commitment and sacrifices for the party over the past six decades. He emphasised that the party’s strength lied in the sacrifices of martyrs like former minister Bashir Ahmad Bilour and his son Haroon Ahmad Bilour.

He urged party workers not to lose heart and assured them that new opportunities would emerge. He announced that the martyrdom anniversary of Haroon Bilour would be observed tomorrow (Thursday) at 11 am at his grave. He advised all party workers to attend the ceremony.

Aimal Wali reaffirmed the party’s commitment to its principles and ideology, emphasising that the sacrifices of its martyrs would continue to inspire and guide the party.

Published in Dawn, July 10th, 2025