CHARSADDA: Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) and district administration have finalised arrangements for Maulana Mohammad Idrees Conference, scheduled to be held here today (Thursday).

JUI-F chief Maulana Fazl ur Rehman, along with senior central, provincial and district leaders of the party, is expected to address the gathering. Convoys of party workers and supporters from various parts of the country have already started arriving in Charsadda.

Strict security arrangements have been put in place in and around Farooq-i-Azam Chowk, the venue of the conference. Authorities have sealed the main venue and adjoining areas, while a large number of containers have been placed at key locations as part of the security plan.

According to official notifications issued by the district administration, several public and private educational institutions situated near the venue will remain closed to facilitate traffic management and ensure security.

JUI-F district chief Maulana Atta ur Rehman and MPA Ijaz Mohammad Khan visited the venue of the conference and reviewed arrangements.

Talking to journalists, Ijaz Khan said that the conference would not be limited to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as a large number of people from other provinces were expected to attend it.

Meanwhile, district leaders of JUI-F here on Wednesday dismissed reports of security threats to the conference, saying it was negative propaganda to disrupt the event.

Addressing a press conference, JUI-F district chief and former MNA Maulana Syed Mohammad Gohar Shah, acting district ameer Maulana Dr Elahi Jan, district spokesperson Maulana Haq Nawaz Durrani, Pir Syed Haleem Shah Bacha and other leaders said that the conference would take place as planned and was expected to attract a large number of participants from across the country.

They alleged that certain elements were spreading rumours regarding security threats to discourage public participation and undermine the gathering.

They said that senior security officials, including the DIG of Mardan Region and representatives of other relevant agencies, had visited the venue on June 16 to review arrangements. They said that no concerns were communicated to them regarding any specific threat during the visit.

The JUI-F leaders said that the conference, scheduled to begin at 3pm, would continue until the evening. They said that it was meant to pay tribute to services of late Maulana Mohammad Idrees, a religious scholar who was shot dead by unidentified persons last month.

Published in Dawn, June 18th, 2026