Senior Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister Bashir Ahmed Bilour, who was martyred in a suicide attack on Saturday, was the most favourite candidate to become the chief minister of the province after the 2008 general election, but President Asif Ali Zardari's objection denied him the coveted post.
According to reports, after the 2008 general elections, deliberations were going on for the appointment of chief minister in NWFP (now Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) and Bashir Ahmed Bilour's name was on top of the list in this regard given his long political career and services for the ANP and the province. However, according to reports, President Zardari was against any such idea due to bitter past memories and tensions between the PPP and ANP after the assassination of PPP KP leader Qamar Abbas and the son of Haji Ghulam Ahmed Bilour, the elder brother of Bashir Bilour.
In the meanwhile, President Zardari reportedly sent two journalist friends with a "secret message" to Peshawar who told ANP chief Asfandyar Wali Khan that Zardari did not want anyone from the Bilour family as chief minister. This turned out to be a blessing in disguise for Asfandyar. In this way, Bashir Bilour, who was the first choice for the chief ministership of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, was deprived of this honour.