Pakistani Cleric Maulana Muhammad Idrees Shot Dead In Charsadda Attack

A prominent religious scholar, Maulana Muhammad Idrees, was shot dead in a targeted attack on Tuesday after unidentified gunmen ambushed his vehicle in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, police said. The incident occurred in the Utmanzai area of Charsadda district while he was reportedly travelling to deliver a religious lecture.According to officials, the attackers opened fire on the vehicle carrying Idrees, critically injuring him and leaving two of his security guards wounded. He was rushed to the District Headquarters Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries during treatment. Authorities said the assailants fled the scene immediately after the attack.

Idrees was widely regarded as a senior and respected Islamic scholar, known for his long-standing contributions to religious education in the region. He was also associated with the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (F), serving as the district head for Charsadda and considered a close aide of party chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman.Following the killing, large numbers of his followers gathered at the hospital, while his body was later transported to his native village of Turangzai. The incident sparked protests in parts of Charsadda, where demonstrators marched demanding the immediate arrest of those responsible for the attack.

Law enforcement officials have launched an investigation into the killing. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Inspector General of Police Zulfiqar Hameed sought a detailed report from regional authorities and directed efforts to ensure the swift arrest of the perpetrators. In a statement, he described Idrees’s services to religious education as “unforgettable” and condemned the attack as a “heinous act.”No group has claimed responsibility for the killing so far. However, the region has previously witnessed targeted attacks on religious figures, often linked to militant activity, raising concerns over security for clerics and community leaders.

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The assassination has drawn political and public condemnation. Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari expressed grief over the killing and extended condolences to the bereaved family, calling for justice and accountability in the case.The killing also carries historical resonance within Idrees’s family, as his father-in-law, Maulana Hassan Jan, a well-known religious scholar, was assassinated in 2007 in Peshawar in an attack attributed to militant groups opposing religious scholarship.

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