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 incident reminds me of Operation Blue Star conducted by the Indian army in the Golden Temple. A lot of people lost their lives, religious ideals were hurt, the PM was assassinated. Religious propaganda can sometimes take a radical twist, and young students especially tend to fall prey – the Taliban being an extreme example.
Hope the situation resolves soon.
This is in response to MB’s post (July 3rd, 9:39pm).
MB your vision of Islam is too convoluted. The message of Islam is to find peace within yourself and then to spread that solace and peace to the rest of mankind. This ac of finding inner peace is the true jihad. I highly recommend reading Bawa Muhaiyadeen’s Book , Islam and World Peace:
http://www.bmf.org/iswp/
“To understand this and to establish peace, man must first change the thoughts and qualities within himself. He must change his qualities of selfishness and avarice, his desire for praise, and his love for earth, sensual pleasures, and gold. He must stop thinking, “My family! My wife! My children! I must rule the world! I must advance my position in life!” When a man has all these selfish ideas, how can he possibly create peace for others? However, if he severs these qualities from himself and begins to feel the hunger, the pain, and the difficulties felt by others, and if he treats all lives as his own life, then he will find peace. If he can strive for this understanding and obtain inner patience, contentment, and trust in God, 1 if he can imbibe God’s qualities and acquire God’s state, then he will know peace. And once he finds that clarity within himself, he will discover peace in every life. If everyone would do this, life in this world would be heaven on earth. But if those who live in this world and rule this world cannot find serenity within themselves, they will only end up destroying the world when they try to establish peace. We must think about this.”
Moderators, sorry for the digression. This topic deserves a separate blog of it’s own. But nevertheless, it is pertinent as it shows the true face of Islam (vs the rabid mulla version) by one who understood the true message of Islam.
Operation Lal Masjid – A Grand Success
————————————–
Read the whole article at:
http://free-pakistan.blogspot.com/2007/07/operation-lal-masjid-grand-success.html
Let me know if my suggestion for rewarding the intelligence men does not commensurate with their contribution to our national security.
I totally disagree that PAKISTAN was made in the name of ISLAM
MB, your ‘raag’ about why Pakistan was established is pretty old and basless and I usually read this on forum several times by so called educated brigade. Why Pakistan was established is in history so don’t “inform” us why was it taken. However I would like to know what your MIGHTY WISDOM teaches you about reason of Pakistan’s establishment.
Anyway, Ansar abbasi yet again with his analysis.
http://tinyurl.com/2kog75
Very much balanced. If a guy like ansar says that there are brothels and clubs in ISB then we need more people who can oppose such filth which is always appreciated by liberals. But offcourse not LAL MASJID way. Those who appreciate operation are pretty ignorant and never came out of their drawing rooms.
If operation was solution for evertything then bush would have succeeded long. It woudl be wrong to expect some POSITIVE result from such actions while the ground reality is different:
tinyurl.com/24xcox
Tahir, Viqar,
I agree with your diagnosis. Like you guys I also believe that the Lal maseet standoff is a smokescreen to con people in the west and in Pakistan. Great Jackboot must be patting his agencies on the back for such a spectacle. Steven Spielberg couldn’t have done better.
The climax of this situation is nigh, now that the APC conference is happening this weekend and the CJP verdict is due next week.
Read more on synopsis at:
http://free-pakistan.blogspot.com/2007/07/lal-masjid-getting-used-as-smokescreen.html
I have only one thing to say about generals and opportunistic mullas:
Nang-e deen, nang-e millat, nang-e watan