Samar Bilour Joins PML-N, Marking End of Bilour Family’s Historic Ties with ANP
In a significant political development, Samar Haroon Bilour, a key member of the prominent Bilour family, has parted ways with the Awami National Party (ANP) and officially joined the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N). Her shift marks the end of a decades-long association between the Bilour family and ANP, a party deeply rooted in the political fabric of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Samar Bilour announced her decision to switch parties following a meeting with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Her inclusion in PML-N is being interpreted as a major boost for the party’s efforts to strengthen its position in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where the ANP has traditionally held considerable influence. Party insiders hint that she may be nominated for a reserved seat in the provincial assembly, signaling her active involvement in the party’s future plans.
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A former Member of the Provincial Assembly (MPA), Samar had previously won a by-election in 2018 from Peshawar, contesting on an ANP ticket. She served in the assembly until 2023, and during her tenure, she emerged as a voice of resilience and political continuity in the wake of personal tragedies.
Samar is the widow of Haroon Bilour, who was martyred in a deadly suicide bombing during an election rally in Peshawar’s Yakatoot area on July 10, 2018. The attack claimed over 20 lives and left dozens injured. The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) later claimed responsibility for the attack. This tragedy followed the earlier loss of her father-in-law, Bashir Bilour, a senior ANP leader who was killed in a similar suicide attack in December 2012, also in Peshawar. These incidents not only devastated the Bilour family but also marked a grim chapter in ANP’s history.
Her political transition is being seen as a symbolic setback for ANP and a tactical win for PML-N, especially at a time when the party is looking to broaden its support base in the province. Sources within PML-N have suggested that Samar Bilour’s move is part of a broader plan to bring experienced and influential figures into the party fold ahead of upcoming political contests.
The ANP has not yet issued any official statement in response to Samar’s departure, but her exit is likely to spark debate within the party’s ranks.
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