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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The last many comments here (e.g., Adnan S., Independent Citizen, Kruman, Ghalib, etc.) leave me puzzled and angry. Seems like an orchestrated campaign to support and justify the Lal Masjid agenda. Sorry, just becasue you keep saying that you don’t support them when actually your posts are clearly supportins them does not county!
The same comment keeps getting repeated again and again and again and again (e.g., Kruman, Adnan S.) about how this is a distraction and should not have been done. So, what are you saying? That these Lal Masjid thugs should have been allowed to continue their campaigns of terror, kidnapping, and extortion? If you want to support the Lal Masjid agenda, say so clearly, why this topi drama of your own? You really mean to say that this guck at the Lal Musjid should not have been cleaned?
Yes, the Aziz brothers and their fatehr were friends fo Zia ul Haq and yes one of their leaders was a former ISI person who is now under arrest. So was Hamid Gul. Is he also now supposed to be part of the Musharraf camp? All of you guys, please spare us your maulvi propaganda, we are tired of all of your propaganda dear Adnan and Kruman and company.
Even if it is a topi drama I am glad that it happened. I do not like Musharraf even one bit. The sooner he is thrown out the better. But I dislike the Lal Masjid agenda of Talibanization that you are all supporting even more. If a bad man (Musharraf) does the right thing (clean up Lal Masjid militancy) for the wrong reason (to distract attention) then it is still a good thing.
Those of you who are leaving the same message every 10 minutes are only supporting the Lal Masjid agenda through repeated propaganda. I, and I think most Pakistanis, are smart enough to see through your tactics. Give us some credit, we are also smart enough to oppose two things at the same time (military and mullah), if it takes the same military that put the mullah in charge to now dismantale the mullah then I am glad they are doing it. I am much more interested in hearing that this Lal Masjid cancer has been removed and really not interested what jokers liek BB or NS say at some APC or what Musharraf says in Turbat. Pox on all their houses, I say. But first and foremost the priority must be to root out this extremism which is teh greatest threat to Islam and to Pakistan.
Government has asked all madrassas, details of weapons they have.
http://www.express.com.pk/epaper/Article.aspx?news ID=1100218202&Date=20070706&Issue=NP_LHE
I am sure madrassas will tell it as it is. :)
It’s time to follow the example of Turkey and ban this garment.
for a moment I thought that Ann Coulter had joined ATP. It’s very possible since Adil bhai is very influential:-), but then I saw that it was said by our prof of Lit.
I am just comparing Tina’s statment with point of view Ghazi brothers. They also wanted to BAN something which was not appropiate according to their point of view and was harmful for others, regardless it was really bad or not. Tina also made similar statment because accordinf to her interpetition, Niqab is not good thus it should be banned. The reason Tina was not condemned because she lives in some developed country and wear some modern outfit,enjoying lavish life etc etc while ghazis live a 3rd world country. Interesting thing is both belong to same profession as well that is teaching. It’s funny, i mean if those are ghazi brothers, should Tina now be called Tina sisters?
What the director/writer want to achieve from this drama:
- distraction of public from MADRASAH which is the threat for western powers as this is only place which develop the roots of islam in people. Once you cut the roots, then you can overwhelm the subject. What a meticulous plan to get rid of Islam?
- The subjects will get stamping from Washington that they are best and must be retained to achieve the objectives.
Aqil mian, ye ghalat baat hay. Tum khud sharartain karo tu sahee aur jab dosray karay tu forun Uncle k pass shikayat laganay ponch gayee? ye tu bari bachou wali baat huwi. Kaha tha na k jab baray khud sharartoun se baaz na aye tu chotay unki izzat nai kartay per shayed samjh nahi aya. :-)
I must say that this whole thing is like an Urdu/Punjabi movie. It is a drama, comedy, thriller,suspense and tragedy all rolled into one.
I am afraid the brothers will be shot dead in detention. Else the secret will leak out i.e. who inspired them into this act of madness, JI, JUI or the ISI.
With the elder mulla caught in a burqa it is clear he did not believe in his cause. So the question is then who encouraged him? Were there kickbacks involved? Was it elements in ISI who promised him immunity and thus conned him into acting foolishly. Ch Shujjat Hussain is on record saying that the govt was not interested in accepting in implementing his peace proposals.
What a joke…this drama is twisting again:) Ghazi denied the meeting with Ulema and said he will prefer death:P
I praised the writer of this drama who is making it intersting… People are diverted towards this drama…all issues like flood victims, judicial crises, political tea party in london are in dim light now!!!
BRAVO ZULU DIRECTOR AND WRITER OF LAL DRAMA