PESHAWAR: Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) on Wednesday held protest rallies across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa against the killing of prominent cleric and former MPA Maulana Muhammad Idrees, said a statement issued by the party’s media cell.

On Tuesday, JUI-F Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman announced that the party would hold protests all over the country on Wednesday and Friday against the “martyrdom” of the cleric.

“At the call of JUI-F, protest rallies were held in all districts across the province against the killing of Maulana Idrees. Participants demanded the immediate arrest of those responsible,” the statement said.

“The participants said the frequent killings of religious scholars and government actions against seminaries indicate the implementation of an international agenda, and that JUI is being punished for standing with the Constitution, law, and the state,” it added.

The statement also quoted JUI-F provincial spokesperson Abdul Jalil Jan as saying, “Protests were held today across district and tehsil headquarters in Peshawar, Charsadda, Mardan, Nowshera, Swabi, Haripur, Abbottabad, Mansehra, Kohistan, Battagram, Torghar, Shangla, Swat, Buner, Upper Dir, Lower Dir, Chitral, Malakand, Dera Ismail Khan, Tank, Bannu, Lakki Marwat, Karak, Hangu, Kohat and the tribal districts against the killing of Maulana Idrees.”

During the rallies, the speakers condemned the worsening law and order situation, the killing of religious scholars, and government measures against madrasas, warning that those targeting religious scholars should take note that JUI-F would continue to fight for the defence of Islam and Pakistan, it added.

Meanwhile, the statement added that a large protest demonstration was led from Namak Mandi Mosque in Peshawar by Jalil Jan, Peshawar district emir Syed Miskeen Shah, General Secretary Maulana Ahmad Ali Darvesh, former mayor Haji Zubair Ali, Inamullah Advocate, former Tehsil Nazim Kaleemullah, and other leaders. Slogans were also raised against the government.

Addressing the demonstration, the speakers added that despite government oppression and injustice, JUI-F would continue its mission, the statement said.

Maulana Idrees was killed on Tuesday after unidentified assailants opened fire on his vehicle in the Tari­qabad area of Utmanzai.

According to the police, the initial investigations suggested that the attack was a targeted killing

President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi had also issued statements, expressing grief over his killing and condemning the incident.