PESHAWAR: Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (F) on Friday staged a second round of protest rallies across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa against the killing of prominent cleric Maulana Muhammad Idrees, according to a statement issued by the party’s media cell.
Earlier this week, JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman had announced two phases of protests — on Wednesday and Friday — over what he described as the “martyrdom” of the cleric. The party had already organised demonstrations on Wednesday.
The statement said that protest rallies were held across all districts of the province after Friday prayers on the party’s call against the killing of Maulana Idrees. A major demonstration was also organised outside the Peshawar Press Club, where protesters demanded the immediate arrest of those responsible for the attack.
According to the statement, demonstrators condemned the worsening law and order situation in the province as well as the repeated killings of religious scholars. It added that JUI-F believed it was being “punished for standing with the Constitution, law, and the state”.
The statement also quoted JUI-F provincial spokesperson Abdul Jalil Jan as saying that strong protests were held at district and tehsil levels in Peshawar, Charsadda, Mardan, Nowshera, Swabi, Haripur, Abbottabad, Mansehra, Kohistan, Battagram, Torghar, Shangla, Swat, Buner, Upper Dir, Lower Dir, Chitral, Malakand, Dera Ismail Khan, Tank, Bannu, Lakki Marwat, Karak, Hangu, Kohat and the tribal districts.
Addressing the gatherings, JUI-F’s provincial and district leaders criticised the deteriorating security situation across the province, the killings of religious scholars, and government actions against madrasas. Party leaders warned that those attempting to sideline religious scholars should understand that the JUI-F would continue its struggle for the defence of Islam and Pakistan.
The statement further said that party workers across the province assured the central leadership of their readiness to respond whenever required.
During the protest outside the Peshawar Press Club, party leaders also held the provincial government, administration and state institutions responsible for the killing of religious scholars.
Maulana Idrees was shot dead on Tuesday after unidentified assailants opened fire on his vehicle in the Tariqabad area of Utmanzai.