Following the assassination of Maulana Sami ul Haq, the head of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Pakistan, the chairman of Pakistan Ulema Council (PUC) said the war in Afghanistan will intensify. 

PUC chairman Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi told Pakistani journalists the war in Afghanistan will intensify following the death of Sami ul Haq. 

He said Sami ul Haq has been bestowed a ‘Martyr Title’.

“It is a big mistake to say by the death of Maulana Sami ul Haq the war in Afghanistan will end. Oath to God that his martyrdom will intensify this war to the extent that no efforts can stop it,” said Ashrafi. 

Sami ul Haq was killed at his residence on Friday evening in Rawalpindi city by unknown men and his death was met with mixed reactions in Afghanistan and Pakistan. 

Sami ul Haq was opposed to the existence of foreign troops in Afghanistan and was against the Afghan government. 

Chief Executive Officer’s (CEO) office meanwhile said they are optimist about the future of Afghanistan following Sami ul Haq’s death. 

“His assassination is a lesson to those who still work for the destabilization of Afghanistan,” CEO spokesman Mujib Rahman Rahimi said. 

Following the assassination of Sami ul Haq, known as the spiritual father of Taliban, concerns have been raised over the consequences of his death over Afghan peace talks.

A number of political analysts said Sami ul Haq’s death will have a direct impact on Taliban’s activities while some others said his assassination will have no affects on the Afghan peace talks or Taliban’s movements. 

“The important issue is that following Sami ul Haq’s death, will his Madrassas remain open or not?” Wahid Muzhda, a political affairs analyst asked. 

Taliban meanwhile said in a statement that Sami ul Haq’s assassination was a big loss for Pakistan. 

During the 1980s and 1990s, Sami ul Haq served as a senator for two terms in Pakistan’s upper house and fully supported action against Afghanistan’s governments. 

Darul Uloom Haqqania in the northern town of Akora Khattak was founded by his father in 1947. 

Thousands of students attend this Darul Uloom and senior Afghan Taliban leaders such as Mullah Omar, Mullah Akhtar Mansour and Jalaluddin Haqqani were former students. It is believed that hundreds of students from his madrassa have fought and are still fighting against the Afghan government. 

Sami ul Haq was 81 years old and according to his relatives, recently received death threats. 

However, so far no one and no group has claimed responsibility for his assassination.