By Emeka Blast 
Mufti Habibullah Haqqani Gunned Down in Pakistan’s Dir Region
In a dramatic incident late Wednesday night, July 2, 2025, Mufti Habibullah Haqqani, a notorious terrorist allegedly linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and a close associate of its founder Hafiz Saeed, was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in Dir, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. The attack, which occurred inside Haqqani’s residence in the Barawal Bendra area, has sent shockwaves through the region, with local authorities scrambling to investigate the targeted killing.
According to police reports, the assailants stormed Haqqani’s home around midnight, opening fire and killing him instantly. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, and the identity of the gunmen remains unknown. The incident has heightened tensions in Dir, with a heavy security presence deployed to maintain order and prevent further violence. Haqqani’s wife, who was present during the attack, was unharmed but is receiving medical attention for shock, sources confirmed.
Posts on X have described Haqqani as Hibbatullah Akhunzada Mufti Habibullah Haqqani, a key figure in LeT’s operations, with users like @TimesAlgebraIND noting that “all Pakistani terrorists are in fear due to back-to-back such incidents.” Other posts, including one from @FatimaDar_jk, labeled the killing as evidence that “Pakistani soil, once a playground of terrorists, is now their graveyard,” reflecting growing public sentiment about the spate of mysterious assassinations targeting terror figures in Pakistan. These claims, however, remain unverified by official sources.
The killing bears similarities to a March 2024 incident in the same Barawal Bendra area, where another Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) leader, also named Mufti Habibullah Haqqani, was shot dead by unidentified attackers. That earlier victim was a former JUI Tehsil Barawal Ameer, and his wife was seriously injured in the attack. It remains unclear whether the two incidents involve the same individual or separate figures with identical names, as authorities have not confirmed any connection.
Haqqani’s alleged ties to Hafiz Saeed, the mastermind of the 2008 Mumbai attacks, have fueled speculation about the motives behind his killing. Recent years have seen a series of targeted assassinations of LeT and Jaish-e-Mohammed operatives in Pakistan, including LeT commander Abu Saifullah in Sindh in May 2025 and Mufti Fayyaz in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in May 2024. Analysts suggest these attacks may point to internal rivalries, foreign intelligence operations, or local vigilante actions against Pakistan-based terror networks.
The JUI, which has faced multiple losses of its leaders, condemned the killing and announced protests across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, with District Ameer Mufti Ehsanullah calling it a “brutal murder.” The group has historically been linked to radical elements, though it publicly distances itself from terrorism. Meanwhile, Pakistan’s security apparatus faces mounting pressure to address the growing instability in the region, with the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Islamic State-Khorasan (IS-K) also active in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Local residents expressed shock at the audacity of the attack, with one shopkeeper telling Khyber News, “Dir is no stranger to violence, but this feels different—someone is targeting these figures deliberately.” The incident follows heightened India-Pakistan tensions after a May 2025 Indian strike in response to a Kashmir attack, though no evidence directly links New Delhi to this killing.
As investigations continue, authorities have cordoned off the area and are examining CCTV footage and forensic evidence. The killing of Mufti Habibullah Haqqani underscores the volatile security landscape in Pakistan, where terrorist networks face increasing threats from both known and unknown adversaries.
