Adil Najam
UPDATE: Reports in the Pakistan media suggest that the Lal Masjid leader has finally been arrested while trying to escape wearing a burqa. According to a BBC update:
The leader of a radical mosque besieged by Pakistani security forces in Islamabad has been caught trying to escape wearing a woman’s burqa. Security forces seized Abdul Aziz as he tried to leave the Red Mosque amid a crowd of women… He was wearing a burqa that also covered his eyes,” a security official told the AFP news agency about the cleric’s escape bid. “Our men spotted his unusual demeanour. The rest of the girls looked like girls, but he was taller and had a pot belly.“
ORIGINAL POST: Things are moving fast and the showdown at Lal Masjid, Islamabad that began this morning is now ready to turn into an even more real battle. The day took the lives of at least 10 people, possibly more. These included policemen, soldiers, by-standers, a journalist, and a number of Madrassah students. (For details see our earlier post and update comments on it, here).
The latest - and this keeps changing by the minute - is that in a mid-night press conference the government has given an ultimatum to the management of the Lal Masjid (Red Mosque) to surrender. There is no indication that they will. In the past things have always ended with ‘negotiated settlements.’ This time the likelihood of this happening is much less. A curfew has been imposed in the area. Tanks have been called in. So have special forces.
Metroblog Islamabad is doing a wonderful job of keeping abreast with breaking news. It reports, through Dawn TV, that 111 Brigade (Army) from Rawalpindi has already assembled around the mosque. Ambulances have been fully stocked. Hospitals are on alert. An ultimatum for time has been given (3.30 PST… NOW!). The entire area has been cordoned off.
Here is a news clip from ARYOne, broadcast earlier.
In an article written last week for The News, I had argued that inaction was not a solution and because of so many delays and policies of apeasement some confrontation was now becoming inevitable.
This episode [i.e., the Chinese massage parlor case] will further embolden the already violence-prone brigands at the two madressahs and we are likely to see an escalation in their demands as well as their tactics. Meanwhile, the government has once again demonstrated an inability and/or unwillingness to act decisively. The much-cherished ‘writ of the state’ continues to rot in tatters.
This, it seems, is what happened when earlier the Lal Masjid management incited this escalation in response to the government’s build-up of force around the mosque. In that article, I had gone on to argue that:
Just like standing still in the middle of the road at the sight of the blinding lights of a truck speeding towards it does not save the life of the stunned deer, doing nothing about this escalating crisis out of fear that doing anything will only make things worse is not going to help the government, or Pakistan. Something needs to be done, and done fast.
I had called in the article for the government to “act to judiciously dismantle militancy at Lal Masjid.” This situation has to be responded to. But the key word remains “act judiciously.” What is really important is how that action is taken. Further bloodshed should be avoided. At least minimized. One hopes that any action is intelligent action and all steps are taken to minimize loss of life. Not just because one does not wish to create needless ‘martyrs.’ Much more so because all life - and everyone’s life - is precious.
The technologies to undertake low casualty offensives are available. The will and sagacity to do so is needed. The test for the government - acting with force in the very center of the Federal Capital - is not only what it does, but how it does it.
Photo credit: Associated Press, B.K. Bangash.
I think the steps taken by then Govt. against Lal Masjid were right and justified, rather late.As far as spread of vice or imorality is concerned ,there are lesser violent means of doing so.What chaos will result if everyone starts implementing something that he or she believes violently?
Its the revenge of nature, Q league has no place to hide. Soon u ll see Musharaf ll also be treated as his allies like Shujaat. ijaz ul haq , sheikh rasheed etc. May God save us from musharraf(Bush2)
THE OPEARTION OF LAL MASJID IS RIGHT DESCISSION TO ARMY FORCE.
the operation againt Lal Masjid was very cruel act
people who say that there is no room for peoples like those in lal masjid must think that what was the motive for the creation fo Pakistan? Why 600 thousnads people sacrifies? Why muslims left india sacrfycing their business, wealth, property and even their beloved ones?
the reason was that they need a place for the writ of ALLAH not hte touts of American and Britian. and the peoples from Lal Masjid were trying for hte writ of ALLAH.
Think for that Day when all of us, have to answere before ALLAH. when ALLAH will asked us what u have done for Lal Masjid?
Also what was the guilt of Quran and Masjid called the daugher of Bait-ul-Allah?
I M VERY UPSET TO SEE UR COMMENTS . ‘”IT HAD TO HAPPEN”"”"”"” I WILL NOT SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THIS MATTER . ALLAH HAS MADE THE WORLD WATCH HOW R WE PUNISHED .WE R MADE TO STAND IN LONG QUEUES FOR FLOUR EVEN . ALLAH IS ANGRY . IT IS SIMILAR TO THE DEFICIENCY OF FOOD WHICH WE IMPOSED ON THE HABITANTS OF LAL MASJID . NO GOVERNMENT POLICY EVER BETTER WILL RELIEVE US BUT THE TOBA . GOD MAY PROVIDE US WITH THINKING ABILITY.
I just watched a movie about Lal masjid from jamat-e-Islami web site but it gives me totaly different view that Ghazi brothers were innocent and all these deaths are just ploted. I think as it is a islamic jamat so they won’t give false information so what is true is Jamat-e-Islami or what we know through other media including this post.
http://jamaaturdu.org/watchvid/default.php
I think it’s clear as H2O now that Lal Masjid was the defining moment of the current crisis. As promised by the mullahs, suicide bombings have come to the shores of Pakistan, so much so that they don’t even elicit a response or a comment on ATP (as yesterday’s bombing in Lahore didn’t); it’s just a part of Pakistaniat now. Islam before Pakistan; millat before country; welcome to the Un-united States of Islam…..or Ummah, as some call it !
The crime of the lal masjid waleh was no more tha to extinguish immorality and vice in a country full of Muslims. History shows that Shariah implementation is something the non-mulims and rebels (murtads) will never tolerate.
The fasiqs need the maulanas for their birth, nikah and funeral times but disregard them when they want to committ zina, drink alcohol, etc.
The saddest for Pakistan - when muslim life is taken and no-one has the courage to speak the truth against the evil dictatorship regime.
In Allah we trust and He will do justice.