A devastating suicide blast at the Darul Uloom Haqqania seminary in Nowshera district, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, claimed the lives of five people, including Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Sami (JUI-S) leader Maulana Hamidul Haq Haqqani.
A report in The Dawn said the attack, which took place during Friday prayers, was confirmed by Barrister Mohammad Ali Saif, Adviser to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur.
KP Police Inspector General Zulfiqar Hameed stated that the explosion occurred in the seminary’s main hall, where worshippers had gathered.
The blast also left several people injured, including three policemen. In response, the KP Health Department declared an emergency across all hospitals and healthcare facilities in Peshawar.
The blast also left several people injured, including three policemen. In response, the KP Health Department declared an emergency across all hospitals and healthcare facilities in Peshawar.
Maulana Hamidul Haq Haqqani was the elder son of the assassinated Maulana Samiul Haq, a prominent cleric known as the “father of the Taliban.” Following his father’s assassination in 2018, he took over as the leader of JUI-S and served as vice chancellor of Jamia Darul Uloom Haqqania. He was also a former member of Pakistan’s National Assembly from 2002 to 2007.
In 2023, Maulana Haqqani led a delegation of Pakistani religious scholars to Afghanistan as part of a “religious diplomacy” initiative, where he met with top Taliban leaders.
Founded in 1947 by Islamic scholar Maulana Abdul Haq Haqqani, the Darul Uloom Haqqania seminary has long been a subject of controversy. It has faced allegations of links to extremist groups, and some of its alumni include senior Taliban leaders such as Amir Khan Muttaqi, Abdul Latif Mansoor, and Jalaluddin Haqqani, founder of the Haqqani network.
The seminary was also accused of being connected to the 2007 assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, though its leadership has denied any involvement.
The attack was met with strong condemnation from Pakistan’s leadership. President Asif Ali Zardari denounced the bombing, calling terrorists “enemies of the country and humanity.”
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also condemned the attack, vowing that such acts of violence would not weaken Pakistan’s resolve in the fight against terrorism.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack so far, and authorities have launched a full-scale investigation into the incident.
