Maulana Hamidul Haq Haqqani killed in suicide blast at Haqqania Seminary, Pakistan

Maulana Hamidul Haq Haqqani, the head of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Sami and a prominent cleric, was among five people killed in a suicide bombing at Darul Uloom Haqqania, a pro-Taliban seminary in Akora Khattak, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.

This explosion occurred on Friday during the Friday prayers at the Haqqania Madrasa, resulting in the deaths of at least five people and injuries to several others. Maulana Hamidul Haq Haqqani, the son of Maulana Samiul Haq Haqqani, was the primary target of this attack.

Emergency responders quickly arrived at the scene, while police cordoned off the area for investigation. Witnesses reported that part of the mosque was damaged by the explosion, as Pakistani media covered the incident. The blast sent shockwaves through the region, further intensifying the ongoing concerns over militancy in Pakistan.

Following the incident, Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif strongly condemned the attack, expressing condolences to the grieving families. They emphasized that the “terrorists” deliberately targeted innocent worshipers during prayers.

Maulana Haq, a former lawmaker, had led Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Sami after the assassination of his father, Maulana Samiul Haq, in 2018. His father, known as the “father of the Taliban,” was a key supporter of the Afghanistan Taliban and the founder of Darul Uloom Haqqania, one of the most influential Islamic seminaries in Pakistan.

The madrassa, established in 1947 by Maulana Abdul Haq Haqqani, has been controversial due to alleged links with extremism. Some of its students have been implicated in the 2007 assassination of former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, although the seminary has denied any involvement. Its alumni include key Taliban figures, such as Amir Khan Muttaqi, Abdul Latif Mansoor, and Mullah Jalaluddin Haqqani.

Following this request, the former Afghanistan government called on the Pakistani government to close down Haqqania Madrasa due to its role in promoting extremism. After the Taliban regained power in Afghanistan, their officials visited Haqqania Madrasa and met with the madrasa’s leadership.

In March 2023, several Pakistani clerics, led by Hamidul Haq Haqqani, traveled to Kabul and met with Taliban leaders, including Mullah Abdul Kabir, former Deputy Prime Minister of the Taliban. Reliable sources confirmed that Mullah Abdul Kabir promised to support the madrasa on behalf of the Taliban government, and an official memo was sent to the Taliban administration to transfer 7 million Afghanis to the madrasa’s account.

In the aftermath of Hamidul Haq Haqqani’s death, Rahmatullah Nabil, the former head of Afghanistan’s intelligence, reacted by condemning him as “a devil in human form.” Nabil described both Hamidul Haq and his father as “merchants of death.”

The attack on Maulana Hamidul Haq Haqqani highlights the ongoing conflict surrounding extremist groups in the region and the complex relationships between Pakistan, Afghanistan, and the Taliban. The incident continues to provoke strong political reactions, with calls for justice and an end to the violence that disrupts the region’s stability.

The attack comes as Pakistan faces a resurgence of militant violence, particularly along its western border. Since the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan, militant activity in Pakistan has escalated, leading to a rise in casualties. Last year, over 1,500 people were killed in various attacks, the highest in six years.

As of now, no group has claimed responsibility for the attack, and investigations are ongoing. The incident underscores the persistent security challenges Pakistan faces due to militant groups operating both domestically and along its borders.

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