THE recent martyrdom of Maulana Muhammad Idrees Jan, a respected religious scholar, former member of the provincial assembly and Sheikh-ul-Hadith from Charsadda, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, has once again raised painful questions about the province’s worsening law-and-order situation. According to reports, he was targeted in broad daylight. The attackers escaped and, as usual, early accounts described them as “unknown persons.” For the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, this phrase is no longer a routine legal expression. It has become a symbol of grieving families, failed investigations and a state unable to bring killers to justice.
Maulana Muhammad Idrees Jan was not merely a religious scholar. He was known as a compassionate teacher, dignified political figure, patriotic Pakistani and preacher of peace and moderation. He spoke of unity, restraint and loyalty to Pakistan. The tragedy is that a man who raised his voice against unrest became a victim of that very unrest. Thousands attended his funeral, offered prayers, shed tears and returned home. But the question remains: has this become the fate of our people—to carry coffins, hear condolence statements, wait a few days and then fall silent? After the incident, familiar statements of condemnation were issued. Those in power called it a cowardly act of terrorism, promised indiscriminate action and assured the public that the killers would soon be brought before the law. Yet public memory tells a different story. Such statements remain in the headlines for a few days, then files disappear into cold storage and victims’ names are added to a long list where the column for justice remains empty.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has endured terrorism, targeted killings and a grave security crisis for years. Religious, political, social and tribal figures have repeatedly been targeted. After the killings of Maulana Hamid-ul-Haq Haqqani, Maulana Khan Zeb, Mufti Munir Shakir, Maulana Sanaullah and many others, the public asked the same questions: who are the killers, who protects them and why are state institutions unable to bring them before the law? Sadly, most such cases fade away after heated debate, strong statements and formal promises. One serious aspect of Maulana Muhammad Idrees Jan’s martyrdom is the organized campaign of hatred reportedly circulated against him on social media. Following some of his sermons, especially his clear stance against terrorism and Fitna al-Khawarij, he was subjected to criticism, ridicule, abuse and inappropriate memes. He was labelled a “state mullah,” an “agent of the establishment,” and worse. This dimension cannot be ignored and demands serious investigation.
In a sensitive society like Pakistan, words do not remain mere words. We have seen too many examples where propaganda, character assassination and hateful narratives push vulnerable minds toward violence. Disagreement is every citizen’s right, but branding a religious scholar, journalist, politician or social figure as a traitor, agent, disbeliever, enemy or tool of the state creates a dangerous atmosphere. Once a person is dehumanized and organized hatred is built around them, a weak mind, extremist element or organized group can turn that hatred into bloodshed. For this reason, the investigation into Maulana Muhammad Idrees Jan’s killing must not stop with those who pulled the trigger. It must examine whether a deliberate campaign created the environment for his targeting. Were political, ideological, or extremist groups involved in demonizing him? Did online propaganda contribute to the climate in which this crime became possible? These are not secondary questions; they are central to understanding the chain that often connects hate speech to violence.
The governance of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa over the past thirteen years also requires serious scrutiny. The people are justified in asking when peace, education, health, employment, development and prosperity will become real priorities. If provincial leadership spends most of its energy on political confrontation, protest politics, statements against the federal government and party interests, then who will address the people’s basic needs? The war against terrorism cannot be won through speeches alone. It requires policy, intelligence coordination, police reform, judicial progress, local trust and leadership that treats security as a priority rather than a slogan.
It is a bitter reality that the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are remembered when sacrifices are required, but a lasting strategy to heal their wounds is rarely visible. After every killing, people are urged to remain patient, yet meaningful action remains missing. Killers are not arrested, cases are not pursued transparently and future attacks are not prevented. Many citizens feel their lives, scholars, elders and voices have been reduced to numbers on a larger political chessboard. To treat Maulana Muhammad Idrees Jan’s martyrdom as the killing of one individual would be a mistake. It reflects a broader crisis in which terrorism, hate-driven politics, social media propaganda, weak governance and state inaction feed one another. If action against Fitna al-Khawarij is necessary, then action under the law against internal discord, organized hatred and those who create an atmosphere of violence is equally necessary.
The people of Pakhtunkhwa have carried enough coffins. They have heard enough statements and seen enough promises. They want peace, not funerals; development, not condolence statements; protection, not assurances. The true demand of Maulana Muhammad Idrees Jan’s martyrdom is that the killers be exposed, the business of hatred be stopped and the province be given leadership that places the lives, dignity and future of its people above politics. Otherwise, history will record that a nation kept burying its elders, rulers kept issuing statements and killers remained “unknown” while a known system kept failing.
—The writer is Barrister, Solicitor & Notary Public, Usman Law Professional Corporation, based in Canada.
