A case has been registered in Mardan’s Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) police station in connection with the yesterday’s suicide blast in Akora Khattak.
As per details, the case was filed against the suicide attacker on behalf of Abdul Haq Sani, the injured son of Maulana JUI-S chief Hamidul Haq Haqqani
Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Samiul Haq (JUI-S) chief Maulana Hamid-ul-Haq was among three martyred after a powerful suicide blast ripped through Akora Khattak’s Darul Uloom Haqqania, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the chief secretary and IG confirmed.
Maulana Hamid-ul-Haq took over JUI-S after his father, Maulana Samiul Haq, was assassinated in 2018. Sami-ul-Haq was stabbed multiple times at his residence in Rawalpindi.
According to details, the explosion took place inside the seminary after Friday prayers, according to the city police officer.
The attack targeted Maulana Hamidul Haq at Darul Uloom Haqqania, KP Inspector General of Police Zulfiqar Hameed said.
He confirmed the death of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Sami’s head, Maulana Hamid-ul-Haq, to reporters. The KP IGP added that it was a suicide blast.
Earlier, talking to Rescue 1122, spokesperson Muhammad Asim confirmed injuries to at least 20 persons in the explosion.
He said the teams are continuing the rescue operation at the spot after the incident was reported.
Meanwhile, emergency has been enforced at Lady Reading Hospital.
President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Interior Ministry Mohsin Naqvi and others have strongly condemned the explosion at Darul Uloom Haqqania, Akora Khattak.
President Zardari condemning the attack, prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured and eternal peace of Hamid-ul-Haq’s departed soul.
PM Sharif also prayed for the recovery of JUI (S) Chief Maulana Hamid ul-Haq and other injured individuals.
The premier instructed that the injured be provided with all possible medical assistance.
He said such cowardly and reprehensible acts of terrorism cannot weaken our resolve against terrorism. He reaffirmed the determination to completely eliminate terrorism in all its forms.
Meanwhile, The tranquil town of Akora Khattak is in deep mourning following a devastating suicide blast at the Haqqania seminary mosque after Friday prayers that resulted in the tragic deaths of eight individuals, including the seminary’s administrator, Maulana Hamidul Haq.
The explosion, which also left more than 20 others injured, has left the entire community in deep shock, grappling with the aftermath of the brutal attack on the peaceful worshipers.
The deadly attack, which occurred late Friday afternoon, targeted Maulana Hamidul Haq, a prominent figure in the region’s religious circles in Nowshera.
Eyewitnesses and CCTV cameras described chaotic scenes at the seminary mosque as people scrambled to help the injured, while others tried to make sense of the unimaginable horror unfolding before them.
DPO Nowshera, Abdul Rasheed Khan, confirmed the tragic toll of the blast, noting that at least eight people died immediately, including Maulana Hamidul Haq, and more than 20 others were wounded, some critically.
The attack took place as Maulana Haq was leaving the mosque for his home. The DPO said the suicide bomber, disguised as a religious scholar, managed to get close to the Maulana at the mosque’s gate before detonating the six kilogram explosives strapped to his body.
Maulana Hamidul Haq, the son of the late Maulana Samiul Haq, a respected religious leader and former senator, had succeeded his father as head of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Sami (JUI-S) after his father was tragically stabbed to death in Rawalpindi in November 2018.
The victims of the blast included both seminary students and worshippers who had gathered for prayers.
Mohammad Alam, a long-time resident of Akora Khattak, voiced the deep sorrow felt by the residents. “This is a place where everyone came for worship.
To see this kind of suicide attack on peaceful worshipers is unbearable,” he said.
“We are in deep shock. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families who lost their loved ones.”
While no group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack, suspicions are high that militant factions active across the western border may be behind the blast.
In the wake of the tragedy, there has been an outpouring of solidarity from the local community at Akora Khattak.
Residents have gathered at local mosques and residences of the victims to offer condolences, and blood donations have been organized to help those injured in the blast.
The once peaceful town is now shrouded in grief, with people coming together to mourn their loss and support one another during this difficult time.
“We are all connected here,” said Sanaullah, another local resident. “It doesn’t matter who you are, this attack has affected us all deeply.”
Professor Dr Abdul Ghafoor, former Director of Sheikh Zayd Islamic Centre in Peshawar, condemned the attack, calling it “highly deplorable” and emphasizing the need for a thorough investigation.
He also called for those responsible to be brought to justice.
“Attacking peaceful worshipers is a cowardly act that has no justification,” Dr Ghafoor stated.
The provincial government has pledged full support to the victims’ families, with emergency relief operations already underway to assist the injured.
The community, though deeply shaken, has vowed to remain resilient in the face of such a horrific event, united by their shared grief and determination to seek justice.
As investigations into the blast continue and geo fencing completed, the residents of Akora Khattak are left with a profound sense of loss. Yet, amid the sorrow, there remains hope that justice will prevail.
