JIT to probe Akora Khattak seminary bombing – Pakistan

PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur on Wednesday said a joint investigation team was being formed to probe a recent suicide attack at the Darul Uloom Haqqania seminary in Akora Khattak area of Nowshera district.

On Feb 28, a suicide blast ripped through the seminary after the Friday congregation, killing six people, including Maulana Hamidul Haq, son of Maulana Samiul Haq and chief of his own faction of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam.

During a visit to Darul Uloom Haqqania, the chief minister highlighted the need for serious measures to improve the security situation in the province, including merged tribal districts.

The chief minister warned that if timely action was not taken, terrorism could engulf the entire country.

CM warns if timely action not taken, terrorism can ‘engulf entire country’

“A JIT will be formed soon to probe the blast to identify those involved in it to bring them to justice,” Mr Gandapur said in a statement issued by the Chief Minister’s Secretariat.

He said that every effort would be made to uncover the “roots of the heinous act.”

“The perpetrators of this attack will not escape the law,” he said, emphasising the need for arresting the culprits to prevent such incidents in the future.

Mr Gandapur said that dialogue was the only effective solution to the issue of terrorism.

He said that a jirga was formed to initiate talks with neighbouring Afghanistan, but there was no progress on it as the federal government was yet to approve terms of reference for talks.

The chief minister declared that the families of those who lost lives in the blast as well as the injured would receive financial assistance from the government.

He appreciated the continued sacrifices of both security forces and people of the province in the fight against terrorism.

Mr Gandapur described Maulana Hamidul Haq’s martyrdom as an irreparable loss, saying his religious and political contributions would be remembered for years to come.

He also acknowledged the significant role of Darul Uloom Haqqania in serving the cause of Islam.

Accompanied by his adviser on Information and Public Relations Barrister Mohammad Ali Saif, Mr Gandapur offered condolences to the family of Maulana Hamidul Haq.

The chief minister also toured the mosque affected by the suicide blast and condemned the attack as a tragic and deplorable incident.

He also attended a case hearing at the Peshawar High Court and said that the federal government, instead of eliminating terrorism from the country, had focused its attention on the detention of PTI founder Imran Khan.

“They [federal government] are least bothered about terrorist attacks, so they’re not framing any policy to counter terrorism,” he told reporters on the court’s premises.

He also said that those behind attacks in Kurram tribal district would be killed like terrorists.

Mr Gandapur also complained that the centre was not releasing due funds to the province, and was targeting PTI leaders and activists by registering more and more cases against them.

He also questioned the federal government’s performance.

The chief minister flayed the recent newspaper advertisements by the PML-N’s government in Punjab over “false claims of good performance” and insisted that his counterpart, Maryam Nawaz, had failed to deliver the goods.

He said that the PTI founder was misguided about the renaming of the Arbab Niaz Cricket Stadium in Peshawar.

Published in Dawn, March 6th, 2025