PESHAWAR: The Awami National Party on Wednesday paid tribute to its leader Haroon Bilour for fighting terrorism and embracing martyrdom, and said it won’t forget his sacrifices for the people’s cause.

“Haroon Bilour’s sacrifice won’t go to waste. The people of this province will keep advancing his mission to secure their rights,” ANP provincial president Mian Iftikhar Hussain said in a statement.

The militants killed Mr Bilour in a suicide attack during the party’s election campaign in Peshawar on July 10, 2018.

Mr Hussain, whose only son Mian Rashid Hussain was also killed by terrorists in his native Pabbi village in Nowshera district in 2010, said rendering sacrifices for the progress of the land was in line with the teachings of Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, popularly known as Bacha Khan.

ANP leader was martyred in Peshawar on July 10, 2018

He said oppressive tactics wouldn’t dent the resolve of ANP activists.

“Our struggle will continue until the attainment of the rights of Pakhtuns,” he said.

The ANP provincial chief also paid tribute to Haroon Bilour’s father Bashir Ahmad Bilour for “laying down his life but not bowing to the pressure of militants.”

He said the Bilour family was known for sacrifices as its members were the true followers of the philosophy of Bacha Khan.

Mr Bilour started his political career from the platform of the Pashtun Student Federation (PkSF), a student wing of the ANP, and played a key role in spreading the party’s manifesto among students and academia in the province.

“Bilour faced a lot of hardships with bravery and never looked back and continued his struggle against the forces that wanted Pashtuns to be in the backseat,” he said.

Mr Hussain said he had known the Bilour family for several decades and appreciated their loyalty towards the party and people of the province.

“The Bilours always fought for the rights of the downtrodden people despite facing hardships but never let the people down,” he said.

The ANP leader said the party activists were committed to following in the footsteps of those who rendered their lives for peace in the province and would carry their mission forward with devotion.

“The ANP wants peace for the prosperity of the people of the province,” he said.

Mr Hussain said the party won’t make any compromise on the rights of the people and would make every effort to do the people proud.

Published in Dawn, July 11th, 2024