People continue to visit Akora Khattak to offer condolences

NOWSHERA: People from all walks of life, including politicians, on Sunday thronged Darul Uloom Haqqania at Akora Khattak to offer condolences to his family on the death of Maulana Samiul Haq.

A condolence reference was also held to pay tributes to Maulana Saiul Haq, the head of the Darul Uloom Haqqania seminary and a former member of the parliament.

Federal Minister for Energy Umar Ayub, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed, federal Minister for Defence Pervez Khattak, Qaumi Watan Party chairman Aftab Sherpao, Muhammad Ahmad Ludhianvi of Ahle Sunnat Wal Jama’at, National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser, Deputy Speaker KP Assembly Mehmood Jan, envoys of various countries, religious scholars and people from other walks of life attended the event and offered Fateha for the deceased.

Speaking on the occasion, Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed said the assassination of Maulana Samiul Haq was an attack on the prevailing peace in Pakistan.

He said he had close relations with the deceased and found him a very loving and humble person.

Narrating a story about the deceased, he said that once German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who happened to be an opposition leader at the time, questioned Maulana Samiul Haq about the role of madrassas in Pakistan.

He said the Maulana put forward his arguments with great composure and also invited her to visit the Darul Uloom Haqqania and draw her own conclusions.

The PML-N senator said that Maulana Samiul Haq was a beacon of hope in troubled times.

Federal Minister for Energy Umar Ayub said he was deeply saddened by the sudden death of the JUI-S head. He said the void created by his death could not be filled.

Federal Minister for Defence Pervez Khattak vowed that those responsible for the murder of Maulana Samiul Haq would be brought to justice.

He said the federal government was fully cooperating with the Punjab government and the investigation team to arrest the assassins as soon as possible.

He said the assassins had deprived the nation of a religious scholar, an experienced politician, writer and peace lover.

Qaumi Watan Party chairman Aftab Sherpao termed the martyrdom of Maulana Samiul Haq an irreparable loss for the entire Muslim world.

He demanded the government to form a joint investigation team to probe the incident.

The Maulana had worked tirelessly to help bring stability to Afghanistan, he said, and called for unity to face the prevailing challenges.

Senior journalist Rahimullah Yusufzai also spoke on the occasion and said Maulana Samiul Haq had made untiring efforts for the restoration of peace in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

A Chinese scholar, who is professor at a university in Beijing, said Maulana Samiul Haq was a proponent of Pak-China friendship and his efforts to this end would be remembered. He recalled that the Maulana once visited various parts of China despite severe cold. Former Senator Syed Jawad Hadi, senior journalist Faizur Rehman and others also spoke on the occasion.