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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This was always a no-win situation is is now becoming worse for everyone. The early goodwill that the govt had gained by tackling this well and with great great to avoid bloodshed is waning because the issue is dragging on and is not brought to closure yet. On the other hand the religious extremists in Lal Masjid and elsewhere are being exposed. Specialy here in Islamabad there is full disgust for the Madrassahs and Lal Masjid for the pain that they have brought on everyones daily life. People cannot even get needs of life because of these cursed maulvis. We have been used to the encroachments of the madrassahs all over the city but now people are getting tired. I just hope that the govt does not mess this up and this can come to close with less blood.
Author of Military Inc, Dr Ayesha Siddiqa’s article in Daily Times, “Musharraf has to go”.
Also discusses lal masjid.
http://dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=200779\s tory_9-7-2007_pg3_2
PS: Nothing to do with differences in malsak but to the fact that they have caused the extremism which is responsible for both taliban, and lal masjid type situations. There are just too many things that they are involved in. This can not be ignored.
Fraz, what I have said are the facts. Want to keep ignoring the real reason…your choice. Every person and group is responsible for what they do and should be held accountable for that.
Nazir we all are muslims. Please dont start a fight between deobandis and brelivis. We are already divided.
Its the deobandi connection. “Maulana” Fazlul Rehman is deobandi, so are taliban and jamia banuria and so is lal masjid – ghazi bradran’s father was a graduate of jamia banuria. Vast majority of Pakistanis however are moderate brelvis. It’s hardly worth mentioning that dobandis were against the creation of Pakistan by and large.
I was an aithiest for 10 years. I tried to find the path. Key thing is that each should try to find the truth. One must for their own sake know what constitutes shirk, kufr and nifaq so that we can avoid them. The journey to the truth is in some ways never ending, but it is also the most important thing in your life.
In the lal masjid case The key issue is shariat.
We get educated and have PhDs and whatever but we dont know the basics of islam anymore.
Anyways one ayat most of us paraha likkas are not aware about..
Surah Al Maidah verse 44
Those who do not Judge by Allahs revelations, they are the kafiroon.
imam hussain challenged the writ of the government. He was besieged by them. He and his companions were deprived of water, he fought back and was killed. All the muslims in the country sat by and applauded.
That was then. This is now. Musharraf and his new Yazidi army is at its best.
To not challenge the writ of a non sharia goverment is the dangerous. To accept a non sharia system as valid is kufr. You go ask any alim in pakistan in priviate and they will agree. But few have the courage to say it openly. Go ask alims in other countries.
Find out in detail what the above mentioned ayat is about. What is kufr and shirk according to your school and other schools and how does it apply to our government and the lal masjid crowd.
Ibhrahim,
Taliban govt was endrossed by Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. Taliban version of Islam (sharia law) was acknowledged by most of the mufties in Pakistan. It was also acknowledged by the mufti in my town of Gulshan-i-Iqbal 13G1(Medina Masjid).