Prominent Pakistani religious scholar and former lawmaker Maulana Muhammad Idrees assassination case has taken a dramatic turn after police arrested seven suspects and widened a high-tech investigation involving CCTV footage, geo-fencing, and digital surveillance.
According to officials, the suspects were arrested from various areas of the Mardan region as investigators intensified efforts to uncover the masterminds behind the deadly attack that shocked Charsadda and triggered widespread protests by supporters of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl.
Maulana Idrees was gunned down on May 5 when unidentified assailants opened fire on his vehicle while he was travelling to a madrassa in Charsadda. Two police guards accompanying the cleric were also injured during the attack.
Investigators revealed that authorities are now examining mobile phone geo-fencing data from Charsadda, Nowshera and nearby areas to trace movements connected to the targeted killing. Officials said interrogations of the arrested suspects are continuing from multiple angles.
Police are also analysing CCTV recordings and a video allegedly showing the suspected gunman escaping the crime scene on a motorcycle. Preliminary findings suggest the attacker moved through different areas of Peshawar, including Chamkani and Kohat Road, before entering Charsadda through a service road.
According to investigators, the suspect reportedly reached Charsadda around 5:30am on the day of the attack, indicating that the assassination may have been carefully planned in advance.
Security officials confirmed that the investigation is being conducted with support from the Safe City project team and specialised forensic units. Authorities are working to verify digital evidence and surveillance material as they attempt to identify both the shooter and possible facilitators.
The killing of Maulana Idrees sparked anger across the region, with seminary students and JUI-F supporters staging protests and demanding immediate arrests and a transparent inquiry. Following the assassination, security forces launched search operations and tightened security at sensitive locations across the district.
No organisation has yet claimed responsibility for the attack, while investigators continue to probe possible motives behind the high-profile killing.
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