KP chief minister visits Charsadda, vows justice for Maulana Idrees

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi visited Charsadda on Thursday to participate in the Qul Khawani of Maulana Muhammad Idrees, who was assassinated in an attack this week.

During the visit, the chief minister offered prayers for the elevation of the deceased scholar’s rank and expressed heartfelt condolences and sympathy to the bereaved family and students.

Speaking on the occasion, Sohail Afridi termed the killing of Maulana Idrees a “great tragedy for the entire nation” and said the provincial government shared the grief of the family. He prayed that Allah Almighty grant patience to the family members.

Afridi paid tribute to the religious and academic services of the slain scholar, saying Maulana Idrees’ contributions would always be remembered. He said that participation of a large number of people in the funeral prayers reflected that the scholar was “right and true.”

Referring to the broader security situation in the region, the chief minister questioned why such incidents continued to occur and why Pakhtuns were still facing displacement and insecurity.

He said enemies did not differentiate between political parties, schools of thought or organizations, adding that every influential and capable personality was being targeted.

Sohail Afridi stated that since the state’s decision to join the war in 2002, the region had been suffering from unrest and bloodshed. “For the last 23 years, our people have been carrying funerals, and this trend must stop now,” he said.

The chief minister said all political and religious parties as well as different schools of thought had rejected “closed-room policies” on the floor of the assembly. However, he alleged that powerful circles were still imposing such policies on the nation through force.

“This is not the war of one individual or one party, but a collective war of all of us,” he said, adding that the people wanted peace and could not afford more decisions made behind closed doors.

Sohail Afridi also announced that strict instructions had been issued for the arrest of those involved in the killing of Maulana Muhammad Idrees. He said he was personally reviewing the progress of the investigation on a daily basis.

The chief minister vowed that all available resources would be utilized to bring the perpetrators to justice.