Fearless, outspoken and one of the harshest critics of the Taliban, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Senior Minister Bashir Ahmed Bilour embraced martyrdom in a suicide attack on an Awami National Party meeting in Peshawar on Saturday.
Eight others, including Bilour’s personal secretary and a police station house officer, were killed and more than 20 people were injured in the attack, which took place in Dhakki Naalbandi area of the famous Qissa Khawani Bazaar of the provincial capital. Bilour’s funeral procession would be taken out from his brother’s place at 2pm today (Sunday) and the prayers would be said at Col Sher Khan Stadium in Peshawar. The KP and Balochistan provincial governments announced a three-day mourning over the killings, while the federal, Sindh and Punjab governments also followed suit with announcement of a one-day mourning. Flags would be flown a half mast in mourning. All major political leaders, including President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief Nawaz Sharif and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain condemned the attack. Bilour’s son Usman Bilour said his party and family were ready to make more sacrifices for the sake of the country. Per details, Federal Railways Minister Ghulam Ahmad Bilour and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Senior Minister Bashir Ahmad Bilour were present in a corner meeting of ANP at Dhakki Naalbandi when Bashir Bilour came outside the makeshift facility to attend a telephone call. Officials said Bashir was talking on the phone when a suicide bomber attempted to touch the ANP leader, but was blocked by police personnel. However, the bomber exploded himself up instantly, killing seven people and injuring several others, including Bashir Bilour.
The injured were rushed to Lady Reading Hospital, where doctors said Bashir had gone into a cardiac arrest. He was operated upon for about an hour, after which the doctors pronounced him dead. A large number of party leaders and workers thronged the hospital after the news broke out. Beside Bilour, Kabuli Police Station SHO Sattar Khan Khattak and Bilour’s personal secretary Noor Mohammad were also killed in the attack.
The Taliban sheltering in the narrow tribal strip of Darra Adam Khel claimed responsibility for killing Bashir Ahmad Bilour. Mohammad, introducing himself as a spokesman of TTP Darra Adam Khel chapter called up several media houses to claim responsibility. Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan spokesman Ihsanullah Ihsan also claimed responsibility for the attack and vowed to carry out more attacks against all those who were against the militants.
Hailing from an influential family of Peshawar, Bilour was a lawyer by profession and remained a member of the Peshawar Bar Association and High Court Bar Association. He successfully returned as an MPA from Peshawar since 1990 and served as provincial minister in at least four governments. He is survived by a widow, two sons and two daughters.
Bilour had on several occasions expressed his resolve to fight terrorism even if it meant sacrificing his life. “It’s not just the ANP’s fight…the entire country must take ownership of it now. We are ready to kill or be killed in this battle for peace,” he had said in many interviews.
The bomb disposal squad said four kilogrammes of explosives were used by the suspected bomber to execute the attack. It was the third suicide attempt on Bashir Ahmad Bilour since 2008. The ANP has been a target of the terrorists since coming into power in 2008 elections, as it has been openly criticising the Taliban and their brand of Islam.
At least 925 people have been killed and more than 2,255 others injured in 581 incidents of terrorism across the country in the current year.
A FIGHTER FALLS
