Senior Afghan Taliban officials contacted Maulana Fazlur Rehman to condemn the killing of JUI-F leader Sheikh Idris, as protests intensified across Pakistan and questions mounted over the attack’s cross-border dimensions.
Senior leaders of the Afghan Taliban administration have expressed condolences to Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman following the assassination of senior party leader Sheikh Idris in Charsadda, an incident that has intensified political tensions and renewed security concerns in the region.
According to a statement issued by the JUI-F media wing, top Afghan Taliban figures, including Defence Minister Mullah Yaqoob, Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani, Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi and Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid, separately contacted Fazlur Rehman on Friday to offer condolences over the killing.
The Afghan officials strongly condemned the attack and expressed solidarity with the JUI-F leadership and its student wing. They said the people of Afghanistan shared the grief being felt in Pakistan following the death of the influential cleric. Prayers were also offered for the deceased and his family.
Sheikh Idris, a senior figure within JUI-F, was shot dead on May 5 in the Utmanzai area of Charsadda when unidentified gunmen riding motorcycles opened fire on his vehicle while he was travelling to a religious seminary.
Militant outfit Islamic State Khorasan Province later claimed responsibility for the assassination. Preliminary investigations reportedly indicated that the planning of the attack may have links originating from Afghanistan, adding another layer of complexity to already sensitive cross-border security dynamics.
The killing triggered widespread outrage within political and religious circles across Pakistan. In response, the Islamabad chapter of JUI-F staged a protest demonstration demanding the immediate arrest of those responsible for the attack.
The rally was led by Mufti Owais Aziz and attended by party workers and senior officials. Addressing the protesters, JUI-F spokesperson Aslam Ghauri accused the government and security institutions of repeatedly failing to protect citizens and political figures from militant violence.
He warned that the party would continue nationwide demonstrations until the perpetrators behind Sheikh Idris’ killing were arrested and brought to justice.
JUI-F has since announced protests in multiple cities, with party leaders describing the assassination as an attack not only on the party but also on religious and political stability in the country.
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