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.
Auntie Mullah Alliance Murdabad!
Pakistan Zindabad!
For once I thought pakistan has fell to the MMA now the even our mullahs have started wearing burkhas – for an instant i was about to finish with pakistan and leave – then i realised the mullah was making a run for it after leaving brainwashed little boys and little girls to take the heat!
Cross dresssings mullahs, mullahs on drugs, mullahs on politics – your house of cards is beginning to fall the pakistani people have awoken – and they will kick your backsides if you dare interefere again!
Proud Pakistan!
PS I wonder how the other mullahs of the MMA look in high heels and lipstick?
Sick and tired keep your pants on. I have said that the Lal Masjid mullas should be hanged for inciting violence. They are also responsible for atleast 21 deaths. Only the naive will interpret our messages as being supportive of lal masjid mullas.
What we are saying is that intentionally (at first) or unintetionally, these mullas have played into the hands of Musharraf. They should have been crushed 3 months ago. The government let these terrorists “flourish
Ghalib:
[Quote ]MQ, Jamia Qabza??? I wasnt expecting a pathetic statement of this sort from u!!! [Unquote]
First, I did not coin the name. Aqil Sajjad did. He deserves the credit for coining such a funnily appropriate name.
Secondly, and this is in a lighter vein, your name being Ghalib you must be familiar with Zauq, the poet laureate in Bahadur Shah Zafar’s court and Ghalib’s contemporary and rival. Here is a couplet by him (I wish I could write it in the Urdu script):
Zauq jo madrassay kay bigRay huay haiN mullah
In ko maykhaanay maiN lay aao sudhar jaayaiN gay
Perhaps, Adnan Ahmad or Ahmed2 or tina (if she understands Urdu as well as she does English)could translate it for all of us.
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. :)