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.
MQ:
Just to get the record streight, I wasn’t the one who coined the term jama-e-qabza, I took it from a TV interview of Salman Taseer.
One additional point:
Most of the parents shown on TV are uneducated and belong to the poorer segments of society. Many of them come from far flung areas. How did they come to know about jama-e-qabza/Jama-e-faridia? Someone must have recommended these madrassas to them for their kids. The govt and media should investigate this angle.
The same goes for funding.
Those who have been helping these brothers in whatever form have played a part in this whole crisis.
Kruman, sure, if you say so. But you do realize the you legitimize teh Lal Masjid agenda by constantly questioning the action against these thugs. Yes, it may overshadow the APC or CJ trial for a few days, and sure it woould have been done way way sooner, but does that mean that you would have preferred that it should have been delayed till after the APC or CJ trial result. I hope not.
Please do not insult me by comparing me to these Lal Masjid thugs. Yes, I am angry but I am NOT a criminal like these mullas. I do not go around killing and kidnapping people because I am angry.
MQ
as u said a verse from Zauq~ a line from Ghalib and self analysis!!!
Hua ha Shah ka musahib phire ha itt-rata
Wagarna sher mien Ghalib~ ki AaB-ru kya ha?
and..
Ye masaial e tasawuff ye tera bayaan Ghalib~
Tujhe hum wali samajhte jo na bada a khwar hota
Ah Ghalib the magic of your words and your ways with mystics!
You would have been a saint, if you were not addicted to drink
and one that fits us all…
Mien nain mana keh kuch nai Ghalib~
Muft mien hath ay to bura kya ha
So “this mufta” sab ko le dooba!!!! socheyy ga mere pehle do naam Mohammad Haroon and last is Ghalib:)
MQ
Bhia i said Madrassa is an institution!!!Jamia is an institution! i dont favor Ghazi! but the ones stopping him are they worthy of stopping him? jamia Qabza coined funnily or what ever its an institution from where many orphans and the 70% people of pakistan get their education from! its our biggest unifying force! but if u analyse all the scenario of this drama u can well imagine that they cant do tht alone!!!there was backing and now that backing is gone!Else people vanish from pakistan and no body hears where they went!!!!or were they ever born! persons like Bhutto were killed is a prime example! army if wanted on day one with not a single casuality could have taken both brothers out!but the first mediator by the govt Mr Ijaz Ul Haq whose father was a deep friend of these brothers father said everythings in control and negotiated! Now u are well aware of world politics and and how it effects Pak,the CJ issue and Mushs worth!!! so this was all staged by “some ” who will never be known!!Hamood ur Rehmaan report even gt public without ant reprecssions should bell alarms in ur ears that the nation is fed up!so who ever in what ever capacity is doing what ever thinks “hes right” and no one is to stop him!the moment u stop them,coz of their fatigue they shudder!!! this drama “is a shudder” and due to a Mosque people have pounced on it oh oh oh mullah terror LOL! BUT the root causeno ones getting to!!we are trying the painkillers but leaving the appendice in place for ours and “someones” gain! so for me to malign an institution called Jamia is perpostorous!!!
@ Tired and sick
if ur angry then theres no difference bw u and Ghazi brothers!!! Banta singh or Danda Singh one and the same thing!!!u didnt get my point! i did not favor Ghazi bros nor i condemn them!! they are doing the same what govt is doing!!!!! so i dun even blame them!they are using humans as sheilds and govt uses “uniform” and Hafiz Peerzada as sheild! so everyones shielded!! their faces hidden but their kartoot evident!!so before commenting on these mullahs and coining names like radical and fundamentalism first think y are they doing so? just like u got angry one must analyse y are u angry than to tell “relax” coz i know u wont!!!
Chinese massages should be banned! Brothels should be closed by whom??? by govt!not by ghazis but i am happy atleast they openned the subject!thru wrong means but still now people know! Niqab LOL i laugh when people talk abt it!!and mostly men!if women are to hide them selves the men have responsibility too!but if men arent doing it or dun wana do it it does not mean ban the niqab as well!!!use ur akal!if someone want to do it let her do it!and talkin abt ban then y crying when Ghazi says ban brothels and massage parlors?? isnt it one boat and opposite ends???
sochnaaa! then ghuusa aya to baat hogi!!
@MB
Thanks for very logical and impressive posts. I would like to add a bit more to your point re “Pakistan ka matlab kia ….”; here is something for those who always proclaim that Pakistan was created in the name of Islam:
Quote:
“You are free; you are free to go to your temples, you are free to go to your mosques or to any other place of worship in this State of Pakistan. You may belong to any religion or caste or creed that has nothing to do with the business of the State.”
“We are starting in the days where there is no discrimination, no distinction between one community and another, no discrimination between one caste or creed and another.”
” We are starting with this fundamental principle that we are all citizens and equal citizens of one State.”
Unquote.
There’s no prize for guessing on who said it in his presidential address to the constituent assembly of Pakistan in 1947!!!!!