RAWALPINDI - Prominent religious scholar and chief of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (Sami) Maulana Samiul Haq was stabbed to death by an unknown assailant at his house located in Safari Villas here on Friday.

The incident took place within the jurisdiction of Police Station Airport, official sources told The Nation.

“The unidentified attacker jumped into the house of the Maulana at around 6:30pm, entered his bedroom located on first floor and stabbed into his chest and shoulders leaving him injured critically,” the sources said. The Maulana, said to be around 83 years old, was rushed to Safari Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries, they said.

On getting information, a police contingent reached the crime scene and cordoned off the area besides collecting evidences from the crime scene. Later, the body of Maulana Samiul Haq, also known as father of the Taliba, was shifted to District Headquarters Hospital for autopsy.

As per TV reports, Tehrek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) said they will give their reaction over the Maulana’s death soon.

The Maulana was living in house number 25, street number 12 in Safari Villas 1 in Rawalpindi.

According to the sources, Maulana Samiul Haq left his house in the afternoon with his driver and personal assistant Ahmed Shah Haqqani to address a public meeting. However, he returned home at 6pm due to the roads blockage in the twin cities. The sources said the Maulana asked his PA to go to market to bring food for him and went to his room to take rest.

In the meanwhile, an unknown assassin, as investigators believed, scaled the wall of his house in and reached his room on first floor where he attacked the elderly Maulana with multiple hits into his chest and on shoulders with a blunt dagger.

Ahmed Shah Haqqani came back around 6:30 with food when he saw the Maulana lying in pool of blood, the sources said, adding he immediately rushed him to Safari Hospital, where doctors pronounced him dead.

Police and officials of the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) inspected the crime scene and collected evidences.

Scores of followers of religious scholar gathered outside his house and expressed sorrow over brutal murder of the Maulana.

“My father was stabbed to death by unknown killers while he was taking rest in his bedroom,” said Maulana Hamidul Haq, the son of deceased, while talking to media men. He said his father fearing that the Afghan government might try to harm him.

"His driver Haqqani had gone out. On his return, he saw that Maulana Sami was lying in pool of blood. He was no longer alive," Hamid added.

Hamid said Maulana Sami was unable to take part in the protest that was underway against Aasia Bibi's acquittal due to road blockades and had returned home.

"He was stabbed multiple times," he said. Maulana Sami's driver and gunman had both left the room for approximately 15 minutes when he was stabbed, he mentioned.

Meanwhile, prominent religious scholars including Darool Ul Aloom Taleem Ul Quran Raja Bazaar chief cleric Maulana Ashraf reached DHQ, where dead body of Samiul Haq was brought for autopsy.

In the latest move, the family members of slain Samiul Haq reached DHQ and stopped the doctors from carrying out post-mortem of the Maulana. The body will be shifted to Akora Khattak for burial.

Talking to The Nation, a senior officer of the security department, who visited house of Maulana Samiul Haq after his murder, said the Maulana was alone in his home at the time of the attack. He said it was suggested during investigation that the attacker arrived on a motorcycle. He said investigators found empty water glasses from the crime scene and it is believed that the killer drunk water before attacking the Maulana. Forensic experts will get fingerprints from the water glasses that would help them in reaching to the killer, he said. He said investigators of Homicide Investigation Unit and CTD have also obtained CCTV footage of cameras installed in the private housing society to identify the killer.

City Police Officer (CPO) Abbas Ahsan, SSP (Operations) Syed Ali and ASP Civil Line Circle Tariq did not respond to several phone calls and SMSs sent by this correspondent on their cell numbers to know their versions over brutal murder of Maulana Samiul Haq.

An operation of RPO Muhammad Fayyaz Dev, when phoned by The Nation, said RPO is busy in meeting with IG Punjab through a video link and he could not talk right now.

The police took two servants (PA Ahmed Shah and driver) of Maulana Sami into custody for questioning.

Haq was the head of the Haqqania madrassa in Akora Khattak, where many Taliban members - including the group's founder, Mullah Omar - had studied.

Afghan officials had recently asked the cleric to help convince the Taliban to begin peace negotiations.

No group has so far claimed responsibility for Friday's attack.

 

Maulana Samiul Haq

assassinated in Pindi