Six newly elected MPAs sworn in

PESHAWAR: Six of the newly elected members of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly who were elected in October 14 by-elections took oath on Tuesday.

Five of the lawmakers Liaqat Khan and Ibrahim Khattak from Nowshera, Aqibullah Khan from Swabi, Abdul Salam from Mardan and Aghaz Ikramullah Gandapur from Dera Ismail Khan belong to the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) while Samar Bilour was elected on Awami National Party ticket from PK-78 Peshawar.

PTI’s MPA Faisal Amin Gandapur, brother of federal minister Ali Amin Gandapur, had taken oath as member of provincial assembly on Monday.

MPAs-elect from Swat Waqar Ahmad Khan of ANP and Sardar Khan of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz have yet to take oath.

They were also elected to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly on October 14 by-elections.

Speaking in the assembly after taking oath, Samar Bilour, widow of Haroon Ahmad Bilour, said that her victory in by-election was the defeat of the terrorists who had killed her husband and father-in-law Bashir Ahmad Bilour.

“The voters of my constituency have taken revenge for the killing of my husband. I got elected by a big margin,” she said. The lawmaker added she would uphold the cause of her late husband and father-in-law.

She also thanked the opposition parties for supporting her in the by-elections.

Samar Bilour’s father Irfanullah Marwat and her elder son Danial Bilour were also sitting in guests’

gallery when she was taking oath as member provincial assembly.

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly accorded warm welcome to Aghaz Ikramullah Khan Gandapur whose father and former provincial minister Ikramullah Khan Gandapur was also martyred ahead of July 25 general elections in Dera Ismail Khan.

Aghaz Gandapur, the youngest lawmaker in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, told the House that he had a mixed feelings of sadness and happiness as he was missing his father and uncle on this occasion.

“I am happy to represent my father in this august House and will try my best to accomplish his mission and serve my people,” he said and added he had learnt a lot from his grandfather Inayatullah Khan Gandapur, uncle Israrullah Khan Gandapur and father Ikramullah Khan Gandapur.

The 28-year old Ibrahim Khattak, son of former chief minister Pervez Khattak, while speaking on the assembly floor said that he was thankful to PTI leadership for giving him the opportunity to serve his people.

However, his uncle Liaqat Khattak, who also elected on PTI ticket from Nowshera, did not speak on the floor after taking oath as member provincial assembly.

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly approved demands for grants for Excise and Taxation Department, Home and Tribal Affairs and Health departments after opposition member withdrew their cut motions.

The opposition members criticised Chief Minister Mahmood Khan for his absence from the budget session as they claimed that he was holding portfolios of more than 20 departments.