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.
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I have to give credit where due. The government has handled this well.
Iqbal was right is saying: Mulla fi sabeelillah fasad
It’s good that the administration has finally confronted the problem.
They could have and should have done the same 6 months ago when the Lal Masjid duo had started this farce. But instead of confronting the buffoons then, the government sent the Shuj of Guj and the Son of Merde-Momin to negotiate with them, thus further emboldening them and giving them ample time to collect weapons inside the mosque. So much so that at one time senior officials of the Islamabad administration went to see the two brothers in the mosque and literally “touched their knees” to beg them to release the people they had kidnapped. Is this how you are supposed to deal with kidnappers?
Now that the farce is soon to end, the government, to prevent re-enactment of such dramas in future, should ensure that:
1.The two brothers are put through the wringer of justice just like any other terrorist and kidnapper.
2. The encroachments by Hafsa and Faridia are vacated, and
3. All madrassas in Islamabad are shifted from the residential areas to the sector meant for educational schools and colleges. The CDA does not allow any residential school or college in Islamabad. Only day-schools are allowed. Then why this special concession to the madrassas?
Those who try to bring religion into this should understand that this whole thing is not about religion. It is about crime. It is about taking the law into one’s own hand.
i am glad government held its fire. the worst outcome would have been if the brothers went down in a blaze of glory - if instead of watching scenes of the great escape in burqa, we had witnessed scenes of a heroic standoff in which the brothers died while taking a bullet for their cause. imagine how many more future fanatic jihadis such pictures would have created? instead what we have witnessed today will have the opposite impact of that wished by jihadi supporters. today the awam has seen firsthand the hypocrisy of jihadis. hopefully after today awam will not hold in blind reverence, anyone with a beard. today has been a great day for pakistan because faith of awam in jehadis has been shaken.
Inside Story, Al Jazeera English is airing the topic live right now.
I just wanted to say thank you to the ATP team and to all the people commenting and updating here. Made one feel like being part of a community of like-minded (sometimes) people. IT is good to talk on these serious issues as and amongst Pakistanis rather than to have to go to foreign sites like those of CNN or BBC or other media to find out what is happening in ones own country. This discussion has such a Pakistani feel to it. Thank you for creating this forum
Dr. Adil, thanks for mentioning us in your post, and citing our information too :D Thanks a lot ?
Pakistaniat Zindabad,
Pakistan Zindabad!
I find the bandwagon claiming that this is all a set up and a drama to be rather funny. There is no evidence for this and concocting fanciful speculation on timing etc. is easy, but childish. The military gains very little from this but what it was losing from letting this continue was too much. Having messed up so many things in so many directions let us count blessings that at least one very serious problem has been tackled. I do not think this is teh end of things because teh problem is now rooted in society as comments show here. What is intersting is how different types of people are supporting the ’staged drama’ theory. Many are those who actually support the Lal Masjid brothers and are using the drama theory to distract attention away from the crimes of these Masjid people. Others are so single-mindedly focussed on a one-person (Musharraf) and one-issue (CJ) agenda that they seem willing to even ignore the grave threat that this Lal Masjid affair poses to Pakistan. Many seem to do so just becasue we are a cynical people. Finally, some like the drama theory because they are so disgruntled with the regime that there is comfort in such conspiracy theories. All this is interesting but I am at least glad that a government that is illegal (because it is military) and is making one mistake after the other has finally at least done something right for whatever reasons. This was a step that needed to be taken and I am glad that they have done this carefully and taken steps to minimize bloodshed. Lets give them credit when deserved.
I was expecting one of our religious brethren to come forward and quote a hadith or quran on this event to justify the mulana’s escape. But since no one did so I will quote one, the Holy Prophet (SAW) with all respect said.
“It is brave not to die some times” (correct me if I am wrong )
Some of us might not be very religious but were very englightened in our early years.