Mufti Munir Shakir, who was injured in a blast in the Armar area of Peshawar, has passed away due to his injuries. Three other individuals—Khushal, Abid, and Syed Nabi—were also wounded in the explosion and were immediately shifted to the hospital.

Mufti Shakir’s son refused to bury his father in protest, demanding accountability of police officials, who, according to him, ‘tied his hands’ and stopped him from protecting his father.

According to SHO Noor Muhammad of Armar Police Station, the explosion occurred near the main gate of Mufti Munir Shakir’s hujra and involved an improvised explosive device (IED).

Following the incident, police, along with the Bomb Disposal Unit (BDU) and Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) officials, arrived at the scene. Law enforcement were collecting evidence to determine the nature of the blast, while further investigations are ongoing.

CCPO Qasim Ali Khan confirmed that initial evidence suggests Mufti Munir Shakir was the primary target. He added that the police and CTD are conducting a joint investigation into the incident.

Son refuses to bury Mufti Munir Shakir

In a dramatic turn, Mufti Munir Shakir’s son has refused to proceed with his father’s burial until police officials are held accountable. He alleged that despite repeated requests for protection due to persistent threats, no security measures were provided.

Addressing the media, he accused the police of facilitating the attack by leaving his father vulnerable. “You tied my hands so that someone could martyr Mufti Sahib,” he stated, adding that he would not allow the burial until those responsible are identified and held to account.

The bereaved son further claimed, “I was not allowed to carry a weapon, yet my father was left unprotected.”

The incident has heightened tensions in the area, with local residents staging protests demanding justice.

Who was Mufti Munir Shakir

According to a local English newspaper, Mufti Munir Shakir was a cleric from Kurram Agency who moved to Bara, Khyber Agency, in 2004 after being expelled from his hometown for promoting sectarianism. Initially unnoticed, he later established a local radio station and began gathering followers under his ideological mission.

His activities soon led to a fierce rivalry with Barelvi cleric Pir Saif-ur-Rehman, who had settled in Khyber Agency in the 1980s and was running a madrassa. The escalating conflict between their factions led to violent clashes.

In 2006, a local jirga intervened, ordering both clerics to leave the area. While Pir Saif-ur-Rehman complied, Mufti Munir Shakir initially resisted but eventually left under local pressure. Before his departure, he appointed a local transporter, Mangal Bagh, as his successor, who later founded the militant Lashkar-e-Islam, which was banned in 2008.