Who was Maulana Hamid ul Haq Haqqani killed in Nowshera blast

NOWSHERA: Maulana Hamid ul Haq Haqqani, a Pakistani politician and Islamic scholar, has recently lost the battle of life in a tragic suicide blast in Nowshera, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, on February 28.

Haqqani was born on May 26, 1968, and served as a member of the 12th National Assembly of Pakistan from November 16, 2002, to October 2, 2007. He had a B.Sc. in civil engineering from the University of Engineering and Technology, Peshawar, graduating in 1988.

Haqqani, the oldest son of well-known Pakistani religious scholar Maulana Samiul Haq, took over as the chief of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Sami after his father’s assassination. His father was the founder of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Sami and the vice-principal of Darul Uloom Haqania in Akora Khattak, Nowshera.

His untimely passing at the age of 56 has sent shockwaves across the nation and investigations are underway to set the circumstances behind the unlucky incident.

Earlier, four people including Maulana Hamid were killed and several injured in a suicide blast at the Darul Uloom Haqqania mosque in Akora Khattak area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Nowshera district, police confirmed.

District Police Officer (DPO) Abdul Rasheed confirmed that an explosion took place in the front rows of the mosque soon after the Friday prayer.

Inspector General Police (IGP) KP Zulfiqar Hameed said that the explosion was a suicide attack and three policemen were also injured in the attack.

Hameed confirmed that former NA member and JUI-S chief Maulana Hamidul Haq, the son of Maulana Sami-ul-Haq Haqqani, was the target of the attack.

Maulana Hamid, the vice administrator of Darul Uloom Haqqania and emir of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Sami (JUI-S), succumbed to his injuries as he was being given medical aid, the top cop said.

The bodies of four deceased have been kept at the Qazi Hussain Ahmed Medical Complex, while the other injured are receiving treatment. Meanwhile, Hamid’s body is at Nowshera CMH.

KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur ordered an immediate report on the incident and directed officials to provide the best medical facilities to the wounded.

“Targeting innocent people in a place of worship is an inhumane act,” Gandapur said, adding that all available resources should be used to bring the elements involved in the heartbreaking incident to justice.

Haqqani, the son of assassinated cleric Maulana Samiul Haq, served as vice chancellor of the Darul Uloom Haqqania and chairman of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Sami (JUI-S) political party. He previously served as a member of the National Assembly from 2002 to 2007.