Ansar-ul-Islam Guards JUI-F Secretariat in Peshawar
Volunteers of Ansar-ul-Islam have taken over security at the JUI-F secretariat in Peshawar after reports that the complex faces demolition in the anti-encroachment drive under way in the city.
The volunteers have surrounded the Mufti Mahmood Markaz on Ring Road, effectively placing it under their protection, while senior JUI-F figures remain inside the secretariat. The move signals rising tension between the religious party and the administration as the crackdown on illegal constructions widens across the provincial capital.
The JUI-F secretariat is the party’s main office in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. Its sudden guarding by the party’s own volunteer force turns a municipal enforcement drive into a political standoff.
Why the party moved to protect the JUI-F secretariat
Authorities launched the drive against illegal constructions across Peshawar after the imposition of Governor’s Rule in the province. Several structures along Ring Road have already been razed.
Reports indicate that the front portion of the Mufti Mahmood Markaz itself has come under the encroachment net. On Sunday, the Peshawar Development Authority (PDA) and the district administration marked buildings in the vicinity of the JUI-F secretariat.
No markings were placed on the Markaz itself. Even so, speculation mounted that the encroached sections would be demolished, and the party’s provincial leadership decided to hand security duties to Ansar-ul-Islam volunteers.
The volunteers have since surrounded the building. Senior party figures have begun staying inside the secretariat in response to the perceived threat.
Governor’s Rule and the wider crackdown
The standoff comes amid a wider crackdown on illegal constructions in Peshawar. The administration has moved against structures along major roads, and the drive has already claimed several buildings on Ring Road.
The JUI-F, the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl, is not the only party watching the drive closely. The opposition alliance Tehreek Tahafuz Ayeen-i-Pakistan (TTAP), of which JUI-F is a part, has challenged the emergency in court. TTAP has sought a judicial review of the K-P emergency, arguing that the imposition of Governor’s Rule raises serious constitutional questions.
JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman is also central to the opposition’s plans. TTAP’s opposition movement may be led by Fazl, according to the alliance, which would place the party at the heart of the campaign against the provincial setup.
The Peshawar administration has also been clearing encroachments elsewhere in the city. Clearance work has begun on University Road in Peshawar, where officials have started demarcation ahead of demolition.
What Ansar-ul-Islam is
Ansar-ul-Islam is the volunteer force associated with JUI-F. Its members have long provided security at party gatherings and offices. Their deployment at the Markaz is therefore a familiar step for the party, but the scale of this deployment, with volunteers surrounding the building around the clock, shows how seriously the leadership views the threat.
The party has not said how long the volunteers will remain at the Markaz. For now, the building is under the party’s own guard, and the administration has not moved against it.
A party under pressure
The JUI-F has faced pressure on more than one front in recent days. Qari Iftikhar was detained in Islamabad, according to the party, in an incident that added to tensions between the party and the authorities.
The secretariat standoff now adds a physical dimension to that tension. The party’s leaders are inside the building, its volunteers are outside, and the administration’s next step is unclear.
What happens next
Much depends on whether the PDA and the district administration move against the Markaz. If they do, the standoff could escalate quickly. If they hold back, the party will claim a victory and the volunteers may stand down.
Either way, the episode shows how the anti-encroachment drive has become entangled with politics in Peshawar. A campaign that began as a municipal exercise is now a test of wills between the administration and one of the province’s most organised parties.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Mufti Mahmood Markaz?
The Mufti Mahmood Markaz is the JUI-F provincial secretariat on Ring Road in Peshawar. It is the party’s main office in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.
Why has Ansar-ul-Islam surrounded the building?
Reports suggested the front portion of the Markaz had come under the encroachment net in the anti-encroachment drive under Governor’s Rule. The party’s leadership handed security to Ansar-ul-Islam volunteers to protect the complex.
Has the Markaz been marked for demolition?
No markings were placed on the Markaz itself. The PDA and district administration marked nearby buildings on Sunday, but not the secretariat.
What is Ansar-ul-Islam?
Ansar-ul-Islam is the volunteer force associated with JUI-F. Its members provide security at party gatherings and offices.
What happens next?
It depends on whether the administration moves against the Markaz. If it does, the standoff could escalate. If it holds back, the party will claim a victory.
