PESHAWAR: Thousands of people in multiple districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Wednesday took to the streets protesting the assassination of religious leader and former MPA Sheikh Idrees, who was killed in the Utmanzai area of Charsadda on Tuesday morning.
Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (F) had called the nationwide protest movement against the assassination of Sheikh-ul-Hadith Maulana Muhammad Idrees on Wednesday. In this regard, Jamaat workers took to the streets in different parts of the province and are demanding the immediate arrest of the killers of the deceased.
JUI workers held protest demonstrations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s capital, Peshawar, as well as in Buner, Mohmand, Shangla, Kohat, North Waziristan, Mardan, Tank, Swabi, Lower Dir, Karak, Lakki Marwat, Charsadda, Dera Ismail Khan and Khyber.
The protesters shouted slogans on the occasion while demanding that the killers of Maulana Muhammad Idrees be brought to justice. They expressed concern over the law and order situation in the region and the persistent target killings of religious leaders.
Speakers at the rallies say that unrest in the province has reached its peak and no one is safe. They severely criticised the provincial government, saying that the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, which has been in power in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for the past thirteen years, has completely failed to establish peace.
The protesters demanded that if the government cannot provide security to the people, it should step down immediately.
Speaking to the media, Senator Maulana Atta-ur-Rehman asked why the state has failed to protect its citizens.
He said that how long would they continue to carry the funerals of our loved ones, if the government cannot provide security, then there is no justification for it to remain in power.
He further said that the scholars were the well-wishers of the state, but their continuous targeting was a matter of great concern.
It is prevalent to mention that Sheikh Muhammad Idrees was martyred by unknown assailants in Charsadda on Tuesday morning when he was on his way to Maddrasah in his car.
On the other hand, Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Sohail Afridi has taken notice of the incident and sought a detailed report from the police and has issued orders for the immediate arrest of the accused.
Meanwhile, a written statement attributed to the extremist organisation IS Khurasan KP chapter has emerged on social media, claiming responsibility for the attack. However, an investigation is underway at the official level in this regard.
