Senior ANP leader Ilyas Bilour passes away

Awami National Party (ANP) leader and former senator Ilyas Ahmad Bilour has passed away in Peshawar, his party confirmed today.

“Brother of Haji Ghulam Ahmed Bilour, Shaheed Bashir Ahmed Bilour, Aziz Ahmed Bilour and father of Ghazanfar Bilour [former] senator Ilyas Ahmed Bilour has passed away,” said ANP leader Samar Haroon Bilour taking to X, formerly known as Twitter.

Ghulam Ahmed, his brother, confirming Ilyas’s death said that the former lawmaker was suffering from a kidney disease. He had been receiving treatment at a hospital in Peshawar for several months. Ghulam said, adding he passed away at 4am.

The former was a member of the upper house of parliament from 2012 to 2018, and was affiliated with the ANP since the beginning of his political journey.

However, he quit his political activities after his son Ghazanfar joined the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf.

Samae sharing details of the funeral said that it will take place at Peshawar’s Wazir Bagh at 2pm tomorrow (Sunday) and the deceased will be laid to rest in his ancestral graveyard. 

Ilyas, during his political career, had served in various capacities including vice president of Standing Committee of IPU on Sustainable Development, Finance and Trade for Asia Pacific and Islamic Chamber of Commerce and Industry.