Muhammad Bashir Khan

Khan Muhammad Bashir Khan Tarkalan (Pashto: خان محمد بشیر خان ترکلا ڼ) is a Pakistani politician from Lower Dir and a Tribal Leader, he is the current titular Khan of Shiekh Khel tribe, a sub-tribe of Tarkani, and a pioneer member of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf. Khan is currently leading all the Isazai sub-tribes of Tarkani in Lower Dir District.

Early Life and Education

Muhammad Bashir Khan was born in the village of Gambir, to a popular political family. His grandfather has served as the Prime Minister of Princely state of Dir. Muhammad Bashir Khan belongs to the ruling family of Shiekh Khels, who ruled over the khanate of Gambir. His father was the last reigning Khan of Gambir and a prominent leader of the National Awami Party. Muhammad Bashir Khan got his early education from Government School of that area. At the age of sixteen, he was exiled to Afghanistan, among other family members, by the government of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto due to political rivalry between the ruling party and National Awami Party.

After his return from exile, Khan got his high school education from Islamia College, where he completed his bachelors in Sciences. Khan then completed his LLB degree from Khyber Law College of Peshawar University.

Political career

Awami National Party

Muhammad Bashir Khan has been actively participating in politics since his student days, he was a prominent member of the Pukhtoon Students Federation. After completing his education, he started to practice privately in the Lower Dir, and started his political career with the Awami National Party, but due to some differences with the leadership of the party, Khan decided to part ways with the party and contested the general election of 1993 as an independent candidate.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf

After leaving the Awami National Party, he did not join any other party until 1997, when he met Imran Khan, and joined the newly formed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf. He contested the Pakistani general election, 1997, from the constituency of PK-95 (Lower Dir-II) with a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf ticket. Khan has served as the District president and later as the provincial secretary of Information for NWFP now Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Khan has been the political companion of Imran Khan since then, and in 2002, he held a huge gathering for the party in his home town, which was considered to be one of the largest political gatherings of party in the general election of 2002, in which Bashir Khan contested for the National assembly constituency of NA-34 (Lower Dir), securing third position.

After the general elections of 2002, Bashir Khan took less part in politics, the party her self was not that active, but Khan took a great part in helping out the IDPs in 2009. Khan came back to the scene of politics in 2010, when the party was emerging as a huge power in Lower Dir, the youth of area needed leadership and due to his sincerity and a good family background, they perused Bashir Khan. Bashir Khan was nominated as the member of the steering committee for Malakand Division, and later he took part in the Intra Party Elections, but he did not succeed. Khan contested the general elections of, 2013, with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's ticket, this time he was one of the favourites, but he was defeated by Sahibzada Yaqub of Jumat-e-Islami.^[1] Later Khan filed a case against the election results, and alleged the winning party for conducting unfair means in elections and riggings in the Election Tribunal.^[2]

Family and Personal Life

After the death of his father in 2010, Bashir Khan was named as the head of Shiekh Khel tribe and all the other Esozai sub-tribes of Tarkani tribe, living in Lower Dir. He heads the local Jirgas, and represents the tribes on upper levels. Khan is also the head of Matakhan Khiels, the ruling family of Shiekh Khiels.

Bashir Khan has also been actively participating in the Tablighi Jamaat, he has travelled across the country, and has travelled to Mozambique with the Jamaat. He normally resides in his home town, but also has a residence in Islamabad. He is married and has four children.

See also

• NA-34 (Lower Dir)

References