CHARSADDA: Gunmen shot dead a senior leader of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) and prominent cleric, Maulana Muhammad Idrees, in a targeted attack in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Tuesday, officials said.
Police and local administration said the incident took place in the Utmanzai area of Charsadda district.
Idrees was travelling from his home to a madrassa when assailants on a motorcycle ambushed his vehicle and opened fire. He sustained multiple gunshot wounds and died before reaching hospital.
Two police personnel assigned to his security were also wounded. Authorities shifted them to the District Headquarters Hospital in Charsadda, where they are receiving treatment.
Attackers fled the scene and remain at large. No group has claimed responsibility.
Police deployed additional forces and launched a search operation in the area. Investigators collected evidence from the scene and opened a probe into the killing.
Senior police officials said Idrees had received threats in recent months. They said he had openly spoken against militant groups, which may have exposed him to security risks. Authorities said they are examining all possible motives.
The killing triggered protests across parts of Charsadda. Supporters and students of the cleric took to the streets, blocking roads and demanding the arrest of those responsible. Local authorities urged calm.
Inspector General of Police Zulfiqar Hameed took notice of the incident and directed the regional police officer to submit a detailed report. He ordered immediate action to arrest the attackers and described Idrees’ services as “unforgettable.”
Idrees, a senior JUI-F figure and former deputy speaker of the provincial assembly, remained active in both religious and political circles. His funeral prayers are scheduled to be held in his native area later in the day.
Background
Maulana Idrees was born in 1961 in Turangzai village of Charsadda. He belonged to a well-known religious family. His father, Hakeem Maulana Abdul Haq, was a respected cleric, while his family had longstanding ties to Islamic scholarship.
He received early education at Jamia Naumania in his hometown and later studied at Darul Uloom Haqqania in Akora Khattak. He also earned a master’s degree in Islamic Studies and Arabic from the University of Peshawar.
After completing his education, he devoted himself to teaching and remained affiliated with Jamia Naumania throughout his life.
Idrees was the son-in-law of Maulana Hassan Jan, a prominent religious scholar who was assassinated in 2007 in Peshawar.
He remained closely associated with JUI-F and served as a member of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly and its deputy speaker. He later held key party positions in Charsadda, including district chief and patron-in-chief.
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He also took part in peace efforts. In 2024, he visited Afghanistan with JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman to discuss cross-border security issues with Afghan Taliban leaders, including concerns related to the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
The killing adds to a pattern of targeted attacks on religious and political figures in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where militancy remains a persistent threat.
