Adil Najam
The news is developing by the moment. But the bottom-line is clear. The security forces have taken control of the Lal Masjid from militants after a severe gun-battle. But the story is far from over.
It will continue to unfold. There are too many unanswered questions. They will certainly be asked and discussed threadbare; here at ATP and elsewhere. But the real story of tomorrow remains the same as the real story of yesterday. Can a society that is so deeply divided against itself learn the lessons of tolerance? This question will continue to haunt us well into the future, in multiple shapes, in multiple forms, in multiple contexts.
This is a question that we at ATP have confronted from our very beginning and will continue to confront. But now is not the time to ponder on this. Even though what has happened had become inevitable over the last many days, I am too heartbroken to be able to do so.
Right now I can think only of Muzammil Shah (photo, from Associated Press, above). This photo was taken as he waited for his son who was inside the Lal Masjid. I do not know whether his son was there voluntarily, or as hostage. But I do know what the look of Muzammil Shah’s face means. The more important question is whether his son came out alive or not. I pray that he did.
Analysts – me included – will discuss what happened at length. They will try to understand the meaning of all this. What does this mean for Pakistan politics? What does this mean for Gen. Musharraf’s future? What does this mean for Islam? For Democracy? Does the fault lie with Abdul Rashid Ghazi and his militant supporters for creating a situation that could only end this way? Why did he not surrender? Is the blood of everyone who died not on his head for his stubboness and arrogance? Or, maybe, it is the government that is to blame because it did not act earlier? Act differently? Waited just a few days more for a negotiated solution?
Right now all these questions seem really petty and small. This is not the time for scoring cheap political points. This is not the time for spin.
Moreover, there are too many questions to ask. To answer. The head hurts as you think of them. But the heart hurts even more as you look at the face of Muzammil Shah.
Maybe the only really important question is the one that you can read between his wrinkles: “Why? Oh God, why? Why must things happen this way?”
idependent citizen, how you will react if Afghanistan prepare this bombers and send them to attack Islamabad?
There are safe heavens in pakistani soil and by destablishing Aghanistan, we are risking Pakistan’s futute too. Right now these taliban are demanding not to touch any other lal masjid. Their demands will increase with time.
Independent Citizen, remember that once the lal masjid guys, taliban, JI and most other religious groups were also stooges of US when it suited them and dollars came to get children of poor killed for US’s jihad. Just because the customer has picked other stooges, doesn’t mean these religious groups have not been through what they accuse Aunti Shamim of.
How many lies Abdul Rashid told the people to incite them. Remember his lie about moe than three hundred girls are lying dead here! Or that there are only 14 klashnikovs when they were armed to the teeth.
Here are a couple more nuggets I came across which are worth sharing:
1) While the occupation of Jamia Hafsia was in effect by
the Maulanas and they had committed abductions,
vandalism and open suicide and acid-throwing threats,
the Honarable Ambassador of Saudi Arabia visited the
Ghazi brothers and assured them of his support for
their cause. What a shock !!
2) Just today, the leader of the opposition in the
National Assembly, Maulana Fazlur Haque issued a
carefully worded statement where he suggested that
“Pakistan is not the right place for suicide bombings”,
thus suggesting to this Jihadi brethren that other
places are still okay if if tickles your fancy.
Ahmed Karzai is simply a stooge who do not have authority but have US security for his protection. He is alwayz given written statement by masters so plz dont waste time on such personalities…..