PK-77: Shah Rukh Khan’s cousin withdraws nomination

PESHAWAR: Noor Jehan, the cousin of Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, Tuesday announced her support to Awami National Party (ANP) candidate for the provincial assembly constituency PK-77.

She had earlier submitted nomination papers to contest election on PK-77 in an independent capacity. However, later she decided to pull out of the race and withdrew her nomination papers on June 29 last.

Speaking at a press conference, she said that she withdrew her nomination papers in favour of ANP candidate Umar Mohmand on the request of the party leaders.

She added that the ANP leaders including Haroon Bilour, son of former senior provincial minister and nationalist politician late Bashir Ahmad Bilour, Malik Ghulam Mustafa and other leaders held a jirga with her and requested her to quit in favour of the party candidate.

Flanked by Haroon Bilour, Noor Jehan said that her family has had a long association with the ANP and she had decided to contest the election as an independent candidate after developing differences with the party.

“I announce support to ANP candidate on PK-77 in the forthcoming general election,” she added.

The filing of nomination papers by Noor Jehan to contest election had created troubles for her cousin Shah Rukh Khan in India as an extremist Hindu organisation while taunting him had asked the film star to leave the country and shift to Pakistan as her cousin was running for a provincial assembly seat in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Noor Jehan lives in Mohallah Shah Wali Qataal, at the back of Qissa Khwani Bazaar.