PESHAWAR: Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) leader Mufti Kifayatullah, his two sons and a friend, were injured in a violent attack on Baidra road in Mansehra early on Wednesday.
Kifayatullah’s sons have been identified as Shabbir Mufti and Hussain Mufti while his friend’s name is said to be Jan Mohammad.
According to doctors, the injured JUI-F leader had sustained injuries on his back, hand and other parts of his body.
Following the incident, Kifayatullah’s son Hussain lodged the First Information Report (FIR) at City police station under Section 324 (attempt to murder), 341 (punishment for wrongful restraint), 427 (mischief causing damage to the amount of fifty rupees), 148 (rioting, armed with deadly weapon) and 149 (every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC).
Hussain said that attackers had intercepted their vehicle and attacked them with iron rods.
“Attackers are those against whom Mufti sahib speaks publicly and we moved police for [an] FIR against [the] unknown attackers,” Kifayatullah’s elder brother, Habibur Rehman said.
According to Rehman, Kifayatullah was on his way to Mansehra from Islamabad when a group of people in two vehicles intercepted the car at Baidra road and attacked them.
“Though attackers didn’t want to eliminate Mufti Kifaytullah and his sons, it was a strong message for him not to speak against them,” said Rehman.
Kifayatullah made several appearances on local TV channels criticising retired army officers for commenting on national politics on current affairs shows.
Last month, the JUI-F chief was taken into custody for 30 days under Section 3 (power to arrest and detain suspected persons) of the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) and shifted to Haripur jail.
“He has posed constant threats to law and order which may disturb the peaceful atmosphere of the district,” Mansehra Deputy Commissioner Aurangzeb Haider Khan said at the time.
“The activities of Mufti Kifayatullah are posing a grave threat to public safety which may create a disturbance of public tranquillity, danger to human life, health and safety,” stated the order issued under Section 3(1) of the West Pakistan MPO.
Following this, the Peshawar High Court had ordered his release on bail.
