Maulana Muhammad Idrees, a Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl cleric involved in peace negotiations with Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan, was shot dead by two motorcycle-borne gunmen in Charsadda, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, on Tuesday. Islamic State in Khorasan Province claimed responsibility for the attack.

Idrees, a former provincial lawmaker, was traveling to Darul Uloom Utmanzai when gunmen opened fire, killing him at the scene. Authorities confirmed the cleric’s role in mediation efforts with the Pakistani Taliban.

The killing fits a pattern of recent assassinations targeting JUI-F figures in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. Idrees had previously clashed with Field Marshal Asim Munir, highlighting tensions between Islamist political actors and military leadership.

Security forces cordoned off the area and launched a search operation for the attackers. Investigators are reviewing CCTV footage and ballistic evidence as law enforcement braces for possible follow-on strikes.