We had never met each other but had known each other for two decades, as we first became acquainted with him in 2005 when we began supporting his FM radio station.
At that time, Pakistan was refusing to act against the Taliban's bases in the tribal areas, claiming FATA was too complex to control and arguing they couldn't simply move in to eliminate local support for the Afghan Taliban. In fact, they wanted to charge Washington for moving in. It was all a setup of their own.
Over the years, Mufti Shakir transformed from a local cleric focused on small issues into an ethno-nationalist figure who advocated for justice, aiming to reshape Pakistan's power structures, which he believed were dominated by one ethnic group and province.
He held strong opinions about how Pakistan's intelligence agencies used the religious madrasa system to manipulate domestic politics and project foreign policy. This bold clarity likely cost him his life. We also tried to make peace between him and his rival by the name of Peer Saif-ur-Rehman, originally from Kunduz province. Peer had approached us numerous times seeking help to survive in that heavily charged and high risk enviornment. Rest in peace, Mufti Shakir.