CHARSADDA: A religious scholar and leader of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) was shot dead in Shabqadar tehsil of Charsadda district on Wednesday morning.

According to police, Maulana Haq Nawaz Haqqani, administrator of Jamia Muhammadia in the Matta Mughalkhel area, was going to the mosque in his seminary for Fajr prayer at about 4.20am when two men on a motorcycle opened fire on him. He suffered 10 bullet wounds and died instantly, while the killers escaped.

The body was taken to the tehsil headquarters hospital for post-mortem. A case was registered at the Khwaja Was police station against unknown attackers.

Charsadda district police chief Khalid Suhial told Dawn that a joint team of police and the Counter Terrorism Department had been formed to investigate the case.

JUI-F leaders termed the incident targeted killing. They said Maulana Haqqani was a non-controversial person and had no enmity.

The cleric’s disciples, ulema and local people rushed to the seminary after the murder and held a protest demonstration. They blocked the Shabqaddar-Matta road. Police reopened the road after negotiations with the mourners.

Police had deployed additional personnel to control the situation.

Maulana Haqqani was buried in his ancestral graveyard in Matta Mughalkhel.

His funeral prayers were led by JUI-S chief Maulana Samiul Haq.

A large number of the deceased’s disciples, ulema, religious and political parties’ leaders and other people attended the funeral.

Published in Dawn, July 27th, 2017