NOWSHERA/RAWALPINDI: Thou­sands of people attended on Saturday the funeral of Maulana Samiul Haq who was killed in an attack at his home in Rawalpindi the previous day. He was laid to rest on the premises of his madressah, Darul Uloom Haqqania, Akora Khattak.

Police investigating the Maulana’s killing, meanwhile, reported no breakthrough and only said that statements of his servants, driver and gunman had been recorded by personnel of the Counter-Terrorism Department.

The funeral of Maulana Sami, also known as the ‘Father of Taliban’ because many of the militants were educated at his madressah, was led by his son Maulana Hamidul Haq Haqqani.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Governor Shah Farman, Chief Minister Mehmood Khan, Jamaat-i-Islami emir Sirajul Haq, PML-N leaders Raja Zafarul Haq and Iqbal Zafar Jhagra, Maulana Tahir Ashrafi and Haji Ghulam Ahmed Bilour of the Awami National Party were prominent among those who attended the funeral.

Police still looking for clues to assailants

Thousands of the late cleric’s present and former students were in attendance as were his admirers and followers besides members and supporters of his faction of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI-S).

The provincial emir of the JUI-S, Maulana Yousaf Shah, announced on the occasion that Maulana Sami’s brother Anwarul Haq Haqqani had been nominated as mohtamim of his seminary and his elder son Maulana Hamidul Haq as its naib mohtamim.

While talking to Dawn, the JUI-S leader said that foreign elements could well be involved in Maulana Sami’s assassination because he posed threat to many countries, particularly Afghanistan, India and the US.

Maulana Yousaf said the late Maulana did not like to take too many precautions when it came to security matters. However, he added that Maulana Sami had not received any specific threats and the government had also not informed him of any such threats.

Investigations

The Airport police station in Rawalpindi has registered a murder case against unknown people on the application of Maulana Hamidul Haq.

According to the contents of the FIR, the late Maulana reached his residence in Safari Villas of Bahria Town, Rawalpindi, after addressing public meetings in Charsadda and Tangi on Friday. He was accompanied by his secretary Syed Ahmed Shah.

Maulana Sami was due to address protesters in Aabpara, Islamabad, who were demonstrating against the acquittal of Aasia Bibi in a blasphemy case. But he was informed that roads leading to Islamabad had been blocked; so he decided to stay at home and take a rest.

Maulana Hamidul Haq said in the FIR that his father’s secretary phoned him at about 6:35pm and informed him that some assailants had stabbed and injured the Maulana critically. He said he then called one of his relatives, Asim Mehmood, who lived in the Bahria Town, and asked him to gather more information.

“My father received 10 to 12 cuts by a blunt weapon on his chest, face, heart, forehead, ear, shoulder and left cheek,” the applicant said. He alleged that his father was killed by enemies of Islam and Pakistan without any reason.

Police mentioned in the FIR that Maulana Sami’s son had stopped them from carrying out an autopsy, declaring that it was not allowed in Islam.

Police sources said that investigators had collected several items, including blood samples, from Maulana Sami’s residence and dispatched them to the Punjab Forensic Laboratory, Lahore, for scientific examination.

Lead investigator Sub-Inspector Muhammad Jamil told Dawn that CCTV footage of the housing society had yet to be obtained. In response to a question, he said his team was working hard on the case but had yet to find any major clue.

Published in Dawn, November 4th, 2018