In a significant political development in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the Awami National Party (ANP) has suffered a major setback as its senior leader and former MPA Samar Haroon Bilour has joined the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).

Samar Haroon Bilour, the widow of slain ANP leader Haroon Bashir Bilour, was welcomed into the PML-N during a high-profile meeting attended by senior party leaders, including Amir Muqam, Rana Sanaullah and Murtaza Javed Abbasi.

On the occasion, she was also awarded a party ticket for a reserved seat.

Speaking to the media in Peshawar, Samar Bilour confirmed her decision and announced she would be meeting Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif later in the day to formalise her induction into the party.

A former provincial information secretary of the ANP and a dynamic presence in KP’s political landscape, Samar Haroon Bilour had served as a member of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly.

Her political career gained momentum after the tragic loss of her husband, Haroon Bashir Bilour, who was martyred in a suicide attack in July 2018.

Since then, she has been recognised for carrying forward his political legacy with determination and public support.