CHARSADDA, MAY 5: Renowned religious scholar and former Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Pakistan-Fazl (JUI-F) MPA Maulana Sheikh Muhammad Idrees was shot dead in a targeted attack in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Charsadda district, police said on Tuesday.
According to police, the incident occurred in the Utmanzai area when the cleric was on his way from home to his madrassa. Unidentified assailants opened fire, killing him on the spot.
District Police Officer (DPO) Muhammad Waqas confirmed that two police personnel assigned to his security were also injured in the attack and were later shifted to Peshawar for treatment.
President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed grief over the killing, offering condolences to the family and prayers for the deceased. Both leaders reiterated that acts of terrorism could not weaken the nation’s resolve and vowed continued action against militant elements.
Police said the attackers, riding two motorcycles, carried out the assault at around 8:10am, firing multiple rounds at the cleric’s vehicle. He succumbed to his injuries while being transported to the hospital.
Inspector General of Police (IGP) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Zulfiqar Hameed said investigations were underway from all angles. He added that CCTV footage from the area had been obtained, while shell casings and other evidence had been collected from the crime scene and sent for forensic analysis.
Authorities said images of the suspects had been retrieved with the help of Safe City cameras, and multiple police teams, including the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) and district police, had been formed to arrest those involved. Raids are being conducted at various locations.
The Central Police Office described the incident as a planned targeted killing, noting that the attackers had trailed the cleric’s vehicle for some time before opening fire. Officials said nine 9mm bullet casings were recovered from the scene.
Meanwhile, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi strongly condemned the killing and sought a detailed report from police authorities. He expressed grief over the incident, offered condolences to the bereaved family, and directed that the injured personnel be provided the best possible medical care.
Separately, IGP Hameed also sought a report from the Regional Police Officer (RPO) Mardan, while the Central Police Office confirmed that an initial report had already been submitted.
‘Provincial govt responsible’
JUI-F provincial emir Senator Maulana Ataur Rehman held the provincial government responsible for the cleric’s killing, warning that continued attacks on religious scholars were unacceptable and would trigger province-wide protests.
Speaking to the media, Rehman said that while death is inevitable for all, certain individuals are granted elevated status. He strongly condemned the attack on Sheikh Idrees and questioned why religious scholars were being systematically targeted and killed.
He said such incidents were no longer tolerable and warned that if rulers, the government, and the state failed to provide security to citizens, they had no justification to remain in power. He reiterated that Maulana Idrees was a member of the JUI-F shura and a respected religious figure.
The JUI-F leader said his party had always opposed the government on principles but remained committed to serving the country and its people. “No one can stop us from serving the nation,” he added.
Criticising the provincial administration, Rehman said its agenda was limited to launching movements against the centre instead of addressing law and order in the province. He urged authorities to “take control of the province and focus on ensuring security,” warning that terrorism was present and required urgent attention.
He announced that protests would be held across all districts against rising insecurity, adding that the provincial government, which had been in power for 13 years, had failed to deliver for its people.
He further announced that a protest would be staged tomorrow against both the provincial and federal governments, demanding immediate steps to ensure public safety.
Attacks on religious scholars and political figures have occurred in the past as well.
In recent incidents, religious leader Pir Ibrahim was killed in Charsadda in July 2025, while ANP leader Maulana Khan Zeb was shot dead in Bajaur the same month.
Earlier, a mosque attack in Akora Khattak claimed the life of JUI leader Hamidul Haq Haqqani, while another attack in South Waziristan injured JUI district emir Maulana Abdullah Nadeem.
