Ex-ANP senator Ilyas Ahmad Bilour passes away after prolonged illness

Awami National Party (ANP) leader and former senator Ilyas Ahmad Bilour passed away at the age of 84 after prolonged illness, his party confirmed on Saturday. 

The announcement was made by ANP leader Samar Haroon Bilour in a social media post on X, which read: "Brother of Haji Ghulam Ahmed Bilour, Shaheed Bashir Ahmed Bilour, Aziz Ahmed Bilour and father of Ghazanfar Bilour [former] senator Ilyas Ahmad Bilour has passed away."

Further confirming Ilyas's demise, the deceased's brother and senior party leader Ghulam Ahmed said that the former lawmaker was suffering from a kidney disease and had been receiving treatment at a hospital in Peshawar for several months. He passed away at 4am, he stated.

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 ceased his political activities after his son Ghazanfar joined the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) — a rival party of the ANP.

Providing details of the funeral, Samar said that the will take place at Peshawar's Wazir Bagh at 2pm tomorrow (Sunday) and the deceased will be laid to rest in his ancestral graveyard.

During his political career, Ilyas 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.

As a businessman, apart from being a life member of SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the politician had also served as Pak-Asia Business Council chairman and was twice elected as the president of Indo-Pak Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Reacting to the grim news, President Asif Ali Zardari expressed deep grief and sorrow over the death of former senator.

The president offered his heartfelt condolences to the family members and prayed for courage for the bereaved family.

Praying for the departed sourl, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif lauded the politician's services for representing the public with excellence.

"Ilyas's [Ahmad Bilour] remarkable services for the welfare of the people are commendable [....] The late leader's political contributions will be remembered," said the premier according to a statement issued by the PM Office Press Wing.

Meanwhile, KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi also expressed sorrow over the ANP leader's demise and said that his political and social services were not hidden from anyone.