A suicide bombing during Friday prayers at a seminary in northwest Pakistan's troubled Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province has left eight people dead, including prominent cleric Hamidul Haq Haqqani. The attack took place at Madrassa-e-Haqqania in Akora Khattak town of Nowshera district, just days ahead of the fasting month of Ramazan.
Chief Secretary Shahab Ali Shah confirmed that besides the fatalities, 17 others were injured in the blast. According to Inspector General of Police (IGP) Zulfiqar Hameed, Hamidul Haq Haqqani, head of the Jamiat Ulema Islam (JUI) Sami faction and caretaker of the Madrassa-e-Haqqania, was specifically targeted.
Police sources revealed that the suicide bomber detonated explosives at a mosque gate frequently used by Haqqani as he was heading home with his companions after Friday prayers. Security officials noted that the cleric had recently received threats following his remarks at a conference of the Islamic Scholars Association. Haqqani had openly spoken against the obstruction of girls' education, declaring such acts contrary to Islamic teachings.
Security sources further confirmed that those responsible for orchestrating the attack had been identified, and authorities are pursuing decisive action against them. Importantly, these suspects reportedly have no affiliations with any religious institutions.
Born in 1968, Hamidul Haq Haqqani assumed leadership of JUI (Sami Group) following the death of his father, Maulana Sami ul Haq. The Madrassa-e-Haqqania, also known as Darul Uloom Haqqania, was founded by Maulana Abdul Haq, who modeled it after India's renowned Darul Uloom Deoband, where he once taught.
The seminary, aligned with the Hanafi Deobandi branch of Sunni Islam, has frequently drawn attention for its curriculum and the influential roles of its alumni. Notably, prominent Taliban figures, including former chief Akhtar Mansour, were once students there, earning it the controversial nickname "University of Jihad."
Authorities remain vigilant as investigations continue.
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