Afghan Taliban condole with Fazl over JUI-F leader’s killing

Senior figures in the Afghan Taliban administration on Friday reached out to Maulana Fazlur Rehman to offer condolences over the killing of senior JUI-F leader Sheikh Idris in Charsadda.

According to a statement issued by the JUI-F media wing, Afghan Defence Minister Mullah Yaqoob, Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani, Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi and Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid separately spoke with the JUI-F chief to express grief over the incident.

The Afghan leaders condemned the killing and conveyed solidarity with the party and its student wing, saying the people of Afghanistan shared the sorrow felt in Pakistan following the cleric’s death. They also prayed for the deceased and his family.

Sheikh Idris, a senior member of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl, was shot dead on May 5 after unidentified gunmen on motorcycles opened fire on him in the Utmanzai area while he was travelling to a seminary. Militant group Islamic State Khorasan Province later claimed responsibility for the attack, while preliminary investigations reportedly suggested the plot may have originated from Afghanistan.

Meanwhile, the Islamabad chapter of JUI-F organised a protest demonstration demanding the immediate arrest of those involved in the killing. The rally was led by Mufti Owais Aziz and attended by several party leaders and workers.

Addressing protesters, JUI-F spokesperson Aslam Ghauri criticised the government and security institutions, alleging repeated failures to ensure public safety. He said the party would continue its protests until the perpetrators were brought to justice.

The killing sparked strong reactions within political and religious circles, with JUI-F announcing demonstrations in multiple cities across the country.