Blast in Peshawar Injures Mufti Munir Shakir and Three Others
Key Developments:
- Incident Details: A blast involving explosive materials occurred within the jurisdiction of Armar police station in Peshawar, injuring four individuals, including prominent cleric Mufti Munir Shakir.
- Injured Persons: Mufti Munir Shakir, founder of the banned militant group Lashkar-i-Islam, sustained injuries to his left foot. The other wounded individuals were identified as Khushhal, Abid, and Syed Nabi.
- Medical Response: All injured individuals were transported to Lady Reading Hospital for emergency medical treatment.
- Investigation Underway: Following the explosion, police, Bomb Disposal Unit (BDU) officials, and the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) arrived at the scene to collect evidence and launch an investigation into the cause of the blast.
- Background on Mufti Munir Shakir:
- Originally from Kurram Agency, Shakir relocated to Bara tehsil of Khyber Agency in 2004 after being expelled from his hometown for inciting sectarian hatred.
- He established a local radio station and gained followers through a hard-line interpretation of Islam, leading to violent clashes with Barelvi scholar Pir Saifur Rehman.
- In 2006, a Jirga expelled both clerics from Khyber Agency, though Shakir initially resisted before ultimately leaving.
- Before his departure, he appointed Mangal Bagh as his successor, who later led Lashkar-i-Islam.
- Banning of Lashkar-i-Islam: The militant group, based in Bara, was officially banned in 2008.
Law enforcement agencies continue their investigations into the explosion. Given Mufti Munir Shakir’s controversial past and militant affiliations, authorities are examining possible motives behind the attack and potential security threats in the region.
