Maulana Samiul Haq, considered `father of Taliban`, killed in Pakistan

Maulana Samiul Haq, also known as the `father of Taliban`, was reportedly killed in a gun attack in Rawalpindi.

Maulana Samiul Haq, also known as the 'father of Taliban', was reportedly killed in Pakistan's Rawalpindi.

Muslim cleric Sami ul-Haq, known as the "Father of the Taliban" for having taught some of the Afghan Islamist movement`s leaders, was killed on Friday in a Pakistani city, a relative and his deputy said.

Unknown attackers shot the prominent cleric, who runs an Islamic school in northwestern Pakistan, his deputy Yousaf Sha and nephew said. They said he was visiting the capital Islamabad this week, but further details of the shooting were unclear. Some local media said ul-Haq was in the neighbouring city of Rawalpindi when he killed. 

Samiul Haq was the chief of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam and died in an assassination attempt, news agency PTI reported.

He has twice been a member of the Senate of Pakistan from 1985 to 1991 and again from 1991 to 1997.

Samiul Haq had close ties with the Taliban leader Mullah Mohammed Omar. 

He was also the head of Darul Uloom Haqqania seminary in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Akora Khattak, Dawn reported. 

Haq was aligned with the ruling Pakitan Tehreek-i-Insaf for July 25 election. 

(With Agency Inputs)