War-weary Afghans on Friday once again called on the government to come up with a robust and effective security strategy to ensure the safety of the people and religious dignitaries in the country.

On Tuesday, an explosion rocked Wazir Akbar Khan Mosque in Kabul’s diplomatic enclave leaving at least two people dead including mosque Imam Mohammad Ayaz Niazi and wounding eight others.

Kabul residents who attended Friday sermon in the same mosque where Niazi was leading the Friday sermon, leveled strong criticism on the government’s ability to protect clerics from attacks.

“People not only from Kabul city, but also from other districts were coming here with special interest to participate in Friday sermons,” said Musa, a Kabul resident.

“Today, we didn’t see Ayaz, but his voice is still in our ears,” said Ehsanullah Wafa, a resident of Kabul.

“They should ensure the security of religious scholars. We are being deceived on a daily basis. We are losing major personalities like Niazi and other schoalrs,” said Hesamuddin, a Kabul resident.

Niazi was laid to rest in Kabul on Thursday amid strong anger and a public outcry over the fragile security situation in the country.

Afghan religious figures and members of the public at the funeral ceremony for Niazi again called on the Afghan government and security institutions to arrest the perpetrators who planned the murder and serve them justice.

Some clerics meanwhile warned to cut off their ties with the government if the plotters of the attack on Niazi weren’t taken into account.

Mohammad Ayaz Niazi was born in 1964 in Yemgan district of northeastern Badakhshan province.

He graduated from Al-Azhar University in Cairo, Egypt, and specialized in the study of Islamic economy. He also earned a doctorate in international relations in Islamic jurisprudence.

After he returned from Egypt, he started as a professor at Kabul University and also was an imam at Wazir Akbar Khan mosque.