Afghanistan Times
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KABUL – A suicide bomb attack at a pro-Taliban seminary in northwestern Pakistan on Friday killed a senior cleric and five other worshippers, just days before the start of the holy month of Ramadan. The attack, which also left many wounded, occurred at the Jamia Haqqania seminary in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, despite tight security measures. No group has yet claimed responsibility for the blast.
The slain cleric, Hamidul Haq, was the head of the seminary and a leader of the Jamiat-e-Ulema Islam (JUI) party. He was the son of Maulana Samiul Haq, a founding figure for both the Afghan and Pakistani Taliban. Many Afghan Taliban leaders studied at the seminary over the past two decades. Haq’s family confirmed his death and urged followers to remain peaceful.
The attack was one of at least four violent incidents across Pakistan on Friday, including a shooting at a mosque in Swat Valley that killed two people and a roadside bomb explosion in Orakzai district that left two dead and six injured. The surge in violence comes as Pakistan prepares for Ramadan, a period of fasting and reflection for Muslims.
Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the attacks, while the Afghan Embassy in Islamabad called the seminary bombing a “cowardly act.” The Pakistani Taliban, or Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), denounced the attack and offered condolences to the victims’ families.
Witnesses described a chaotic scene at the seminary, with blood and body parts scattered around the mosque. Police officer Yawar Zia, who was wounded in the blast, recounted hearing a powerful explosion as Haq was leaving the mosque. “The number of casualties could have been much higher had the bomber struck during prayers,” said Zahir Shah, a worshipper at the scene.
The attack highlights the ongoing security challenges in Pakistan, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, which has seen a rise in violence in recent years. In February 2023, a suicide attack on a mosque in Peshawar killed 101 people, mostly police officers.
Pakistan has blamed previous attacks on the TTP, which has found sanctuary in Afghanistan since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021. The country also faces separatist violence in Balochistan province, where a roadside bomb wounded 10 people, including two soldiers, on Friday.
As Pakistan grapples with this wave of violence, the attacks underscore the fragile security situation in the region and the challenges of combating militant groups ahead of Ramadan.
