Maulana Samiul Haq assassinated in Rawalpindi

Haq’s son Maulana Hamidul Haq confirmed his death in the attack

ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Religious scholar and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Sami (JUI-S) chief Maulana Samiul Haq was assassinated in a targeted attack in Rawalpindi on Friday.

As per the details, Maulana Samiul Haq sustained injuries in a targeted attack at his house in a private housing society in Rawalpindi’s Gulraiz area.

He was shifted to local hospital for medical assistance where he succumbed to his wounds.

Haq’s son Maulana Hamidul Haq confirmed his death in the attack. 

"He was resting in his room during Asr time when his driver/guard went out for 15 minutes. When he returned, he found Maulana Samiul Haq dead in his bed and his body covered in blood," Sami s son said. 

President Dr. Arif Alvi has expressed sorrow and grief over the martyrdom of Maulana Sami-ul-Haq. Condemning this tragic incident, he expressed sympathy with the bereaved family. The President paid tributes to Maulana Sami-ul-Haq s religious, social and political services.

Prime Minister Imran Khan has strongly condemned the martyrdom of Maulana Sami-ul-Haq. In a statement from Beijing, where he is currently on visit to China, the Prime Minister directed to investigate the incident and bring the perpetrators to justice. The prime minister said Maulana Sami-ul-Haq was a great scholar of Islam.

Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa also strongly condemned the assassination of renowned religious scholar and political leader Moulana Samiul Haq. He expressed grief and condolences to the bereaved family.

Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar has condemned the assasination of Maulana Sami-ul-Haq and sought report from the Inspector General of Punjab police.

Minister of State for Interior Shehryar Afridi has also condemned the assasination. In a statement, he said Maulana Sami-ul-Haq s political and religous services will be remembered.

On the other hand, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif and party president Shehbaz Sharif also condemned Haq’s assassination.

PROFILE

Samiul Haq was born on December 18, 1937 in Akora Khattak, North-West Frontier Province of British India (now Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan). His father was Moulana Abdul Haq.

He began his education in 1366 AH (1946 or 1947 CE) at Darul Uloom Haqqania, which was founded by his father. There he studied fiqh, usul al-fiqh, Arabic literature, logic, Arabic grammar (sarf and nahw), tafsir, and Hadith.

He was well versed in Arabic but also used Urdu, the national language of Pakistan, and the regional language of Pashto.

He was a religious scholar and former Senator. He was member of the Senate from 1985 to 1991 and again from 1991 to 1997.

Haq was the chancellor of Darul Uloom Haqqania. Haq served as chairman of the Difa-e-Pakistan Council and was the leader of his own faction of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam political party, known as JUI-S. Samiul Haq was also a founding member of Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal.

He had also served as a member of the Senate. He formed Mutahida Deeni Mahaz (United Religious Front), an alliance of relatively small religio-political parties, to participate in Pakistani general election, 2013.