Earlier, the funeral prayers of the influential religious scholar and former senator, who was stabbed to death at his residence in Rawalpindi on Friday, were offered at the Khushal Khan College Ground.
Haq's funeral prayers were led by his son Maulana Hamidul Haq.
Several religious leaders and politicians, including Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governor, provincial chief minister, JI Chief Sirajul Haq, former KP governor Iqbal Zafar Jhagra, ANP’s Ghulam Bilour, PML-N’s Raja Zafarul Haq and others attended the funeral.
Maulana Samiul Haq was stabbed to death while he was resting in his room at his residence in Rawalpindi on Friday. His son, Maulana Hamidul Haq, had said that the JUI-S chief's "driver-cum-guard went out for 15 minutes” and returned to find him dead.
Haq's son had further said: "He was trying to reach the protest in Islamabad but came back home due to roads being blocked. He was resting in his room after Asr [prayers] when his driver-cum-guard went out for 15 minutes. When he returned, he found Maulana Samiul Haq dead in his bed and his body covered in blood."
Another JUI-S leader, Maulana Abdul Majeed, had stated that there was no one present at the residence when Haq was killed. "We do not know who attacked him. He was alone, the person who was supposed to be with him had gone to the market," Majeed said.
Probe into assassination under way
Earlier today, a probe was launched into Maulana Samiul Haq’s assassination as forensic experts and investigation officers collected evidence from his Rawalpindi residence.
Police took Maulana Samiul Haq’s two domestic staff members into custody for questioning.
Meanwhile, investigation officers carried out fingerprint scans of the phone, glasses and other items belonging to the religious scholar. His phone records have also been obtained.
Further, CCTV footage of the housing society where the JUI-S chief resided is being obtained to identify the suspects.
FIR lodged
A first investigation report (FIR) of Haq’s assassination was registered earlier today.
The FIR was filed on the complaint of the religious scholar’s son, Maulana Hamidul Haq, against unknown persons in the Airport Police Station.
As per the FIR, Maulana Samiul Haq was attacked at 6:30pm and was stabbed 12 times in his stomach, chest, forehead and ear.
Maulana Hamidul Haq further said that they did not want to get the JUI-S chief’s post-mortem conducted.
Who was Maulana Samiul Haq?
Born in 1936, Haq was one of the senior-most religio-political figures in Pakistan and came from the spiritual family of Akora Khattak, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He was the son of late Maulana Abdul Haq, a respected religious scholar and founder of the Darul Uloom Haqqania, one of the largest and most influential madrassas (seminaries) in the country. Maulana Samiul Haq later served the head of the Darul Uloom Haqqania after his father's death.
He was twice elected as member of the Senate of Pakistan—from 1985 to 1991 and again from 1991 to 1997.
According to the Senate website, Haq was an active protagonist of the Tahreek-i-Khatam-e-Nabowat in 1974 and Tahreek-i-Nizam-i-Mustafa in 1977.
"He was a member of the Majlis-i-Shoora in 1983-85 and was a member of the Presidential Committee on religious matters. He was elected to the Senate in 1985 and was one of the principal movers of the historic Shariat Bill in the Senate. He [was] re-elected as Senator in 1991 for another six-year term," reads the Senate website.
In 2014, the JUI-S chief headed a committee formed for peace talks with the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
The talks, despite repeated rounds, failed to yield results and the then Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) led government subsequently launched a crackdown on militants following terrorist attacks on Karachi's Jinnah International Airport and then the Army Public School in Peshawar later that year.
His party has been an ally of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). The PTI also gave him a ticket for the 2018 Senate election, but he could not be elected to the upper house.
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