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.
This is very sad, there should have been more efforts for negotiations
People, there is bandwidth to pay for and earlier I ran into a cpu overload error message so the site is getting hit heavy. Please while visiting check a few of those ads to help Adil pay the overhead. (Adil would never say that himself, so I will.) :)
I totally disagree that PAKISTAN was made in the name of ISLAM. All these people who have hijacked religion and are now trying to hijack our country too are the ones who opposed PAKISTAN, are the ones who opposed SIR SYED, IQBAL, QUAID.
They are parasites who try to take over every piece of land just because their retard interpretation of ISLAM be followed.
I strongly suggest removing the false slogan ” Pakistan ka matlab kia . . . . LLIL ”
There was nothing like that when our hero’s like Sir Syed, Iqbal & Quaid worked hard to give us a separate land.
Its only after 1947 that these people (along with ARMY) tried to inject their own versions into a purely equal-for-all state. First they hit the minorities, then Qadiyani’s, then threw us into the hell of AFGHAN war & poped up terrorist madarassahs everywhere & now want to take over just ever next building in Universe. And ARMY provided full support into this to create their own state within state, officially known as ISI.
Its high time we remove the world ISLAMIC from our republic which would be the first thing QUAID would do today. There is no issue of ISLAM when we have 97% MUSLIMs. Were MUSLIMS before 1977 were all immoral that we tried to convert this into an ISLAMic state.
Islam or prostitution or whatever these retards shout about is way down the list in problems our nation is facing.
I doubt if Mush wants to end this. Its a drama that he created, directed and is executing well & is helping him divert attention.
The Lal Masjid are the enemy of the state… You are either with Pakistan or your against it..
One hopes bloodshed can be avoided. But, we can never say how this will unfold. We may have no bloodshed, some bloodshed, moderate amount of bloodshed or more bloodshed. In any case, one hopes none of this comes to pass. But, again I may be wrong. After all, this standoff has been going on for 6 months. Who am I to predict what will happen? In any case Shahid Masood is trying his best and let us wish him well. Will he succeed? Hard to say. But then again, we have succeeded in such situations before. But, then again, what do I know. The running commentary is phenomenal like a cricket match. When will the next wicket fall? Only time will tell.