Tariq Saeed Peshawar
Veteran politician and a senior most leader of the Awami National Party Begum Nasim Wali Khan has breathed her last after protracted illness. She was 88.
Wife of ANP Rehber late Khan Abdul Wali Khan and mother of incumbent party president Asfandyar Wali Khan was indisposed for quite some time as she was suffering from heart problems and diabetes.
The first lady to have been elected on a general seat in KP Assembly, returned to house six times and also remained member of the National Assembly, also served as ANP president.
In fact she was no longer active in the politics for the last several years owing to her deteriorating health besides developing serious differences with party president and his son Asfandyar Wali Khan over policy matters.
It may be recalled that, Begum Nasim Wali khan who also survived an attempt on her life many years back, had been the moving spirit behind the ANP affairs in the provincial politics and a major decision maker especially after the death of her husband Khan Abdul Wali Khan.
She was however, sidelined by the present party leadership a decade back and was asked to remain away from the party affairs.
In November 2013 Begum Nasim Wali, however, revolted against the ANP setup led by her son Asfandyar Wali and announced to jump back to the active politics saying the existing incompetent leadership had rendered irreparable loss to the ANP.
She announced to re-enter into active politics and reactivate the ideological leaders and workers of Awami National Party and had called for removal of the top leadership of the party from their positions after extremely dismal performance of the ANP in May 2013 general elections in which it could hardly bag three KP assembly seats.
Before that his brother and former Minister for Communication in Nawaz Sharif cabinet Azam Hoti, who was the father of former Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Amir Haider Hoti, had also revolted against Asfandyar Wali and company levelling serious allegations of corruption, looting and plundering the public money against them.
Condolences have started to pour in after the demise of the veteran lady politician with President Arif Alvi, COAS General Qamar Javed Bajwa, Speaker National Assembly Asad Qaiser, PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif, PPP leader Sherry Rehman and others expressing their sorrow over her death.
Shahbaz Sharif said her services for empowerment of women will be remembered for a long time.
Governor KP Shah Farman and Chief Minister Mahmood Khan have expressed their deep sense of shock over the demise of Begum Naseem Wali Khan who they said was an ideological politician.
