Musharraf's party today questioned the impartiality of the judge who revoked the former military ruler's bail and ordered his arrest, saying he had once served as a counsel for a radical cleric of the Lal Masjid here. Musharraf was remanded to judicial custody for a fortnight yesterday, two days after Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui of the Islamabad High Court cancelled his pre-arrest bail and directed police to detain him. The All Pakistan Muslim League, however, said Siddiqui's "personality is highly controversial" as he had earlier served as the lawyer for Abdul Aziz, one of the top clerics of the Lal Masjid, against which Musharraf ordered a military operation in 2007. Siddiqui also contested the 2002 general election on a Jamaat-e-Islami ticket from a parliamentary constituency in Rawalpindi, said APML spokesperson Aasia Ishaque. "Pervez Musharraf was subjected to judicial terrorism in the Islamabad High Court," she said. Siddiqui had represented Abdul Aziz in an anti-terrorism court following his arrest during the Lal Masjid operation and later succeeded in getting Aziz's home declared a "sub-jail" so that he could be detained at his residence, she added.
"Personal vendetta against Pervez Musharraf is being carried out by appointing political workers as judges. It's very ironic that the lawyer of a terrorist is giving judgement in a terrorism case against Pervez Musharraf," Ishaque said. REFERENCE: Impartiality of judge hearing Pervez Musharraf's case questioned Sunday, Apr 21, 2013, 13:45 IST | Place: ISLAMABAD | Agency: PTI http://www.dnaindia.com/world/1825221/report-impartiality-of-judge-hearing-pervez-musharraf-s-case-questioned
Capital Talk (Pervez Musharraf Mulzim Ya Mujrim) – 22th April 2013
Now please note the discrepancies in the column of Former MD PTV, Jang Group, GEO TV, ARY, and Express News Employee Dr Shahid Masood's column of Disappeared Female Students of Lal Masjid and also note the role of Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (Alliance of Religio-Political Parties in Pakistan from 2002 to 2007 and ally of General Pervez Musharraf)
2007 ISLAMABAD: The three-year-old political sins of top MMA leaders have once again given a second lease of political life to General Pervez Musharraf at a very crucial phase, as the infamous 17th Amendment becomes the basis of the Supreme Court’s decision to allow a uniformed president to get himself re-elected for the next five years from the present assemblies.
For many, the most-important thing is that the verdict of the Supreme Court has justified the recent claim of Musharraf that he had made with a lot of pride and arrogance in his choking voice that “let the agitators do their job, he would have the last laugh”.
Likewise, the government’s prediction that it would win the case with a majority also turned out to be right. Meanwhile, the critical role of the MMA in facilitating the rule of Musharraf in uniform is so definite and irritating that during the two-week-long proceedings on the case, some judges did not forget to remind the religious parties about their ‘deeds’.
It is now widely believed in the political circles that the MMA would go down in the history as a force which used political Islam not only to validate the rule of General Musharraf since October 12, 1999, but also helped him to become president in uniform first after the general election in 2002 and now in 2007 by providing legal and constitutional excuses to the Supreme Court to extend a favourable decision to a military general.
One political observer said that if Musharraf gets himself re-elected as the president on October 6, it would be only because of the MMA leaders who had decided to vote in favour of 17th Amendment after striking a deal with a uniformed general and distorted the Constitution of 1973. Likewise, General Musharraf once again would be feeling grateful to the MMA leaders, particularly Qazi Hussain Ahmed and Maulana Fazlur Rehman, whose single act not only gave him the crucial support when he needed it most, but it continued to yield results when he once again needed it.
At the time of passage of the Legal Framework Order (LFO) in 2004 after the MMA leaders decided to betray the political forces engaged in desperate struggle against the rule of Musharraf, it was widely assumed that it might be only one-time “political sin” of the MMA leaders. But, now the SC verdict on Friday confirms the wild doubts of critics of the MMA that the country would continue to suffer from the havoc created by the decision of Qazi and Fazl.
The MMA, nicked named as a “B team” of General Musharraf, had given a false impression after the 2002 elections that it would fight for the supremacy of the Parliament when President Musharraf would push his LFO for approval from the Legislature. In the absence of two former prime ministers – Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto – Qazi Hussain Ahmed and Fazlur Rehman simply hijacked the agitation movement of the opposition parties to oppose Musharraf and his LFO in the Parliament. The movement became so aggressive and popular in nature that at one stage, it emerged that Musharraf might yield to the rising political power of these forces.
The international media and community were also giving serious attention to the political turmoil in Pakistan amid the rising pressure from the Commonwealth and the European Union on Musharraf to get legitimacy from the Parliament or he might lose their vital support.
The agitation movement within and outside the Parliament against the LFO was so effective that it crippled the Jamali government. At that time, Musharraf appointed two of his top and trusted generals, Maj Gen Zaki and Maj Gen Ehtasham Zamir, assisted by S M Zafar, to negotiate a secret deal with the MMA. Qazi, Fazl and Liaquat Baloch started meeting these generals late nights. Finally, a deal was brokered between the generals and the MMA, which exclusively benefited both the parties.
The first reward was the continuation of the MMA-led NWFP government, share in the Balochistan cabinet and slot of the Opposition Leader in the National Assembly. Likewise, the MMA also got the references against its MPs blocked after certain forces tried to get them disqualified on account of educational qualification.
After initial dents in its lost credibility, the MMA leaders once again revived their political credentials when they used Nawaz Sharif who, too easily, accepted their role as a major opposition when he started giving them more importance despite being partners of Musharraf in the government.
The MMA got the real boost as a major opposition alliance, despite being part of Musharraf regime, when Nawaz Sharif gave them importance at London during the All Parties Conference and later formed an alliance with them. But, soon Nawaz realised that he was only being used by smart and shrewd politicians of the MMA to defuse his rising popularity as none of them turned up at the Islamabad airport on September 10 to receive him.
It is interesting to note that the MMA leaders are so smart that they have not only been facilitating Musharraf in power but they have also been successfully acting as the real opposition to the regime.
When contacted by The News, MNA Liaquat Baloch did not agree with the conclusion that the religio-political alliance was actually responsible for the continuation of Musharraf rule. He said the 17th Amendment had given benefits to all the parties, including all the women parliamentarians, minorities and other segments. He said that under the agreement with Musharraf, he was to take off his uniform by December 31, 2004, but he backed out.
Likewise, the MMA leader said Musharraf was given concession only for one term and now he was allowed to contest the election in uniform without any valid justification. He said the doctrine of necessity was once again revived and the MMA should not be blamed at all. “What is our fault,” Baloch put a counter question. REFERENCE: Musharraf gets new lease of life, thanks to MMA BY Rauf Klasra Saturday, September 29, 2007 http://www.thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=10367&Cat=13&dt=9/29/2007
2007 Ejaz says he helped release Ghazi in terror cases Wednesday, April 11, 2007 ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Ejaz-ul-Haq has admitted that he had made personal efforts to get Maulana Abdul Rashid Ghazi, Naib Khateeb of Lal Masjid, released in cases of terrorism. Expressing his views in a talk show on Geo TV alongside Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz Information Secretary Ahsan Iqbal, Nayyar Bukhari of the Pakistan People’s Party and Maulana Abdul Rashid Ghazi on Tuesday, the minister said he took the action after a written confirmation from the Maulana guaranteeing his good behaviour. Giving his side of the story in the programme, Maulana Abdul Rashid Ghazi denied the minister’s claim, saying he was never indicted in any terrorism case, while his car was impounded by police, which was never returned. He failed to give a satisfactory answer when asked about the fact that former chairman National Book Foundation Ahmad Faraz had registered an FIR against him on charges of forced occupation of land belonging to the Ministry of Education, but still no action was taken against him. Taking part in the debate, Ahsan Iqbal and Nayyar Bukhari accused Ghazi Abdur Rashid of conniving with the government to stage a socio-political drama to divert public attention from the ongoing judicial crisis. Ghazi said he has made it clear to PML-Q President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain that the occupation of Children’s Library would continue until their demands for implementation of Islamic Shariah were fully met. Upon the terse comments, Ejaz-ul-Haq said if the Shujaat-Ghazi talks failed, the government would have no other option but launch a full-fledged operation at Lal Masjid. Meanwhile, Khateeb of Lal Masjid Maulana Abdul Aziz has started writing to the Ulema and the seminary students nationwide to seek their support in the ongoing row with the government.
In his letters he urged the Ulema and students to rise against such social evils like liquor, obscenity and so-called “liberalisation”.
The letters also urged all the students and the Ulema to proceed to Lal Masjid unarmed but with their batons and baggage for Aitekaf and speeding up their services for promulgation of Islamic values. They have been advised to avoid any prolonged bickering with personnel of the law-enforcement agencies and limit themselves to self-defence, refrain from rioting and destroying and burning public property at all costs. They have further been advised to rather offer themselves for jails but try to preach Islam and Islamic values, including Jihad to jail inmates, if detained by the government. On the other hand pamphlets have been distributed in Karachi by Tehrik-e-Talaba urging all to proceed to Islamabad on the call of Maulana Abdul Aziz. —Online Monitoring desk adds: talking to Geo News correspondent, Ejaz said that the administration of Lal-Masjid and the Jamia Hafsa was not showing flexibility in talks with the government. The minister warned of operation against it, which could result in the loss of lives if the matter remained unresolved. The federal minister said that senior Ulema, including scholars from Waziristan and Hangu, have been disappointed after failure of their efforts to convince Ghazi Abdul Rasheed and Maulana Abdul Aziz. Ejaz believed that restoring the writ of the government was not a difficult task, however, he added, the establishment was not willing to do it at the cost of human lives. Ejaz urged both Maulanas Abdul Aziz and Abdul Rashid Ghazi of Lal Masjid to adopt sagacious approach and avoid confrontation with the people. “Both the brothers should negotiate with the government and help reach a peaceful settlement of the issue as it is creating doubts in minds of the people of the country, he added. The people from various walks of life and the Ulema and Madrassa students persuaded them to give up but alas they did not pay heed to, he said. Terming one-month ultimatum issued by Lal Masjid absurd he said the Objective Resolution is the part of the Constitution and ensured that no law contrary to the Islamic injunctions can be enacted in the country. Responding to a question, he said enlightened moderation is not contrary to Islamic teachings as Islam stands for acquiring knowlege. It also preaches moderation as the best way of life. REFERENCE: Ejaz says he helped release Ghazi in terror cases Wednesday, April 11, 2007 http://www.thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=7065&Cat=13&dt=4/11/2007
Now please note the discrepancies in the column of Former MD PTV, Jang Group, GEO TV, ARY, and Express News Employee Dr Shahid Masood's column of Disappeared Female Students of Lal Masjid and compare it with the Lal Masjid Commission Report published in 2013.
2013 ‘103 killed in Lal Masjid, Jamia Hafsa operation’ * Report says 92 civilians among dead, no woman included - ISLAMABAD: The report of a commission that probed the operation in Lal Masjid has verified from reports, claims, witnesses and media reports that 103 people were killed in the operation. The report by the one-man commission of Federal Shariat Court’s Justice Shahzado Shaikh was made public on the directives of the Supreme Court on Saturday.
The commission worked on eight terms of reference, including how many persons, if any, male or female, civilian or law enforcement agencies’ personnel, lost their lives in the Jamia Hafsa-Lal Masjid operation. The commission’s 304-page report is comprehensive document, which stated that of the 103 persons killed, 92 were civilians and 11 belonged to the armed forces of Pakistan. Among the 92 civilian casualties, 76 were traced/identified, whereas 16 bodies remained unidentified. It verified that no other claim of any killing could be brought in front of the commission. On page 142 of the report, it is verified that 103 persons died in the operation and no woman was killed. It said that the number of persons died in the incident of Jamia Hafsa remained a mystery. During the proceedings before the Supreme Court of Pakistan from July 8, 2007 to December 4, 2012, different reports were submitted regarding the number of casualties.
The commission on this account summoned the record of the deceased from all government departments and agencies, verified claims and statements from volunteers. The task before the commission was to analyse these reports and verify claims and reports. REFERENCE: ‘103 killed in Lal Masjid, Jamia Hafsa operation’ * Report says 92 civilians among dead, no woman included Sunday, April 21, 2013 http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2013%5C04%5C21%5Cstory_21-4-2013_pg7_3 GEO NEWS 2007 http://www.geo.tv/important_events/lalmasjid/pages/english_news.asp Lal Masjid operation: Report brings more troubles for Musharraf by Malik Asad | 21st April, 2013 http://dawn.com/2013/04/21/lal-masjid-operation-report-brings-more-troubles-for-musharraf/
What the Pakistani Press, particularly the Jang Group reported on Lal Masjid in 2007 contradicts what their TV Anchors telecast on the same issue in 2007 and even now they blatantly lie and distort the Issue of Lal Masjid.
2007 Lal Masjid to set up ‘Shariat court’ ISLAMABAD: An announcement about the enforcement of Islamic Shariah will be made at the ‘Enforcement of Shariah and Azmat-e-Jihad’ conference being held here today (Friday) at Lal Masjid.
A Shariat court comprising 10 muftis will be set up in this regard. The court will take decisions against those found involved in running brothels and following illegal practices. The Enforcement of Shariat and Azmat-e-Jihad conference will continue till Asar prayers. Noted Ulema will address the conference.
A three-day Aitkaf has started in the central Lal Masjid and it will conclude on April 7. Thousands of people from across the country have reached Lal Masjid. Maulana Abdul Aziz, the prayer leader of Lal Masjid, said that an announcement about the enforcement of Shariah would be made in the conference and a Shariat court comprising 10 muftis would be set up.
The court would caution that no one should operate brothels in Islamabad or Rawalpindi. If people did not refrain from pursuing un-Islamic practices, the students of Lal Masjid would take notice of it on their own.
Meanwhile, the federal government has described the use of force in the Jamia Hafsa and Lal Masjid issues as the last option. Sources told Online news agency that Home Secretary Kamal Shah reviewed the whole situation at a high-level meeting on Thursday. Kamal said the government has directed the Islamabad district administration to continue to pursue the dialogue process with the Lal Masjid and Jamia Hafsa administration.
The Islamabad administration briefed him about the ongoing negotiations with the administration of Jamia Hafsa and Lal Masjid. The meeting decided that the use of force against the students of Jamia Hafsa would be the last option. The government will try its utmost not to allow the students of Jamia Hafsa to take law into their own hands.
The meeting also decided to arrest the elements who are found involved in stopping or forcing the owners of video shops or CDs shops to shut their businesses. Sources said the National Crisis Management Cell set up in the Interior Ministry is persistently monitoring the matters related to Lal Masjid and Jamia Hafsa.
Reports on a day-to-day basis are being sent to President Pervez Musharraf, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and Interior Minister Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao in this respect. Meanwhile, hundreds of human rights activists rallied on Thursday to urge the government to act against the students of Jamia Hafsa who have launched “anti-vice” patrols in the Islamabad.
Around 600 protesters chanted slogans calling upon the authorities to “curb the rise of extremist forces in the country that are promoting intolerance and violence,” an AFP photographer witnessed.
The protest came a week after Burqa-clad girls from the Jamia Hafsa abducted a local woman accused of running a brothel. They released the women and her two relatives two days later, after making her read out a confession.
Male students from Lal Masjid, meanwhile, have formed Taliban-style “Vice and Virtue” squads urging owners of DVD and music shops to shut their business. The students were “harassing and terrorising ordinary citizens in the name of Islam” and must be stopped, said a joint statement by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan and a dozen non-governmental organisations. It also urged people to “rise against these extremist religious bigoted forces and secure the future of the present and future generations.” REFERENCE: Lal Masjid to set up ‘Shariat court’ today
Friday, April 06, 2007 http://www.thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=6945&Cat=13&dt=4/6/2007 Lal Masjid on the warpath BY Muhammad Anis Saturday, April 07, 2007 http://www.thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=6965&Cat=13&dt=4/7/2007
GUJRAT, July 9: Seven army personnel and a policeman died in a brazen attack on a camp near a bridge on the river Chenab and in an exchange of fire between some of the attackers and a police party on Monday. Gujrat District Police Officer Raja Basharat Mehmood said the assailants who came by car and motorbike opened fire at the camp set up by the armed forces to search for the body of the pilot of a helicopter which had crashed some time ago. He said five security personnel were killed on the spot and eight others were injured. Later, one of the injured died on way to hospital and another at the Combined Military Hospital in Gujranwala. The DPO said that a police party was on routine patrol on GT Road when it was informed by a passerby about the firing near the Chenab bridge, close to the industrial town of Wazirabad. When the policemen rushed to the place they saw two masked men coming towards them on a motorbike. Seeing the police party, the masked men tried to escape but the motorbike skidded and they fell on the ground. When the policemen moved towards them a car appeared and its occupants opened fire. The policemen returned fire, but Constable Qaisar was killed in the crossfire and the terrorists escaped. The army personnel killed in the camp attack were identified as Subedar Abdul Majid, Ghulam Rasool, Hawaldar Shahid, Naik Abdul Rauf, Aftab, GM Basit and Sher Ali. Sadar Gujrat police have registered a case on a report of a security official. Police and security personnel cordoned off the area and traffic coming from Gujrat, Rawalpindi and Islamabad was diverted to the other side of the bridge. The area near the Chenab bridge on the Gujrat side has been a target of terrorists in the recent past. This is the third major act of terrorism in the area since January this year. On January 3, two suspected militants were killed near Gorali village when a suicide vest worn by one of them exploded. On March 14, a police picket near Kathala Chenab railway crossing came under attack in which four cops were killed. According to our Gujranwala correspondent, the Corps Commander of Mangla and senior police officers of Gujrat and Gujranwala visited the spot and gathered information about the incident. Agencies add: “The exact number of attackers is not known but they came by motorbike and sprayed bullets on the troops from the bridge,” a senior security official told AFP on condition of anonymity. “It is highly likely that the attackers belonged to a banned religious outfit closely linked to Taliban.” The official added: “Nobody has so far claimed responsibility of the attack but if we follow the pattern of the attack, it looks similar to assaults that these outfits have been carrying out in different cities.” Supporters of the Defence of Pakistan Council had moved through the area overnight on their way to Islamabad to protest against the reopening of Nato supply routes. “The Defence of Pakistan Council’s supporters passed through the area some time before the attack, but linking the two is speculation at this point,” police official Nadeem Abbas told Reuters in Gujrat. “There are criminal groups active in the area, they could be involved. Or it could be militants, which could be a serious development,” a senior Pakistani security official told Reuters. REFERENCE: Army camp near Wazirabad attacked; seven soldiers killed Waseem Ashraf Butt http://dawn.com/2012/07/10/army-camp-near-wazirabad-attacked-seven-soldiers-killed/
Terrorist Attack on Gujrat Army Camp - 9th July 2012
Saudi govt considering outlawing `takfiri` fatwas RIYADH, April 15 The Saudi Shura has started consultations with a council of ulema over proposed legislation to outlaw the issuance of `takfiri fatwas` by an individual or body not authorised by the government to do so. The government`s move comes amid complaints by the public that indiscriminate resort to fatwas by individuals and organisations has made a mockery of religious injunctions. A Takfiri fatwa is an edict which declares a certain practice or action as Haram and brands as Kafir (apostate) anyone found to have indulged in such acts. According to daily Asharq Al Awsat, sessions being held by the body in Riyadh are being treated by authorities as “secret and extraordinary”. REFERENCE: Saudi govt considering outlawing `takfiri` fatwas By Syed Rashid Husain http://archives.dawn.com/archives/3164
2009: Sufi might have been a little ‘Kafir’ too: Munawar RAWALPINDI: Amir Jamaat-e-Islami Syed Munawar Hassan has said that Tehrik Nifaz Shariat-e-Muhammad chief Maulana Sufi Muhammad had once contested elections of local councillor and won it and therefore might have been a little ‘Kafir’ (infidel) too. Talking to newsmen in Lahore after meeting a delegation of Khaksar Tehrik led by Hameeduddin Al-Mashriqi, he said that the 1973 Constitution was a consensus document having the support of all ulema of the country. Therefore, Sufi Muhammad should consult the ulema and elders before passing edicts . REFERENCE: Sufi might have been a little ‘Kafir’ too: Munawar News Desk Thursday, April 23, 2009 http://www.thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=21697&Cat=13&dt=4/23/2009
Takfir (Apostasy) : Syed Munawar Hasan on Maulana Sufi Muhammad (2009)
2009: Taliban created by Western powers: Qazi Monday, April 27, 2009 PESHAWAR: Former Ameer Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Qazi Hussain Ahmad has said the Taliban were created by Western powers to achieve their own goals. Talking to the media in Peshawar, he said the Taliban took over as an independent force only because the US was not ready to listen to them after achieving its objectives. He said the Taliban got disappointed after they were ignored by the US and began to strengthen their force. Qazi said statements by US officials on the creation of Taliban had no weight as Hizb-e-Islami Afghanistan chief Gulbudin Hekmatyar had openly made such a statement long time ago. He said more than 500,000 people were displaced from the tribal areas and Swat and most of them were living as internally displaced people (IDP) in camps in Kacha Garhi and other places of the province. He said the situation in the country had worsened only because the Taliban had the patronage of foreign forces. Qazi said all the issues could be resolved through dialogue but the NWFP government agreed to implement the Nizam-e-Adl Regulation under pressure. REFERENCE: Taliban created by Western powers: Qazi Monday, April 27, 2009 http://www.thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=174444&Cat=2&dt=4%2F27%2F2009
2009: Sufi has acted against Quran, says Imran our correspondent Monday, April 27, 2009 LAHORE: Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan has slated TNSM head Sufi Muhammad for violating the Constitution of Pakistan, saying that Sufi has violated the agreement signed with the government and the basic spirit of the Holy Quran. Addressing a public meeting on the eve of the 13th Foundation Day of the PTI, Imran claimed that the Tehrik is the only party which was not formed with the help of the bureaucracy and the Army. He said Musharraf’s policies have played havoc with the integrity of the country and the Army, while an Army operation was still continuing against the people who had been demanding their rights for many years. He also announced holding party elections every year with the appointment of PTI Vice-Chairman Hamid Khan as election commissioner for this purpose. The NRO was, in fact, an infringement on the rights of people, because of which the dacoits have started ruling the masses, Imran said, alleging that MQM chief Altaf Hussain is not behind the bars only because he is paying lip service to the dictation of the US and UK. He said Nawab Akbar Bugti was fighting for the rights of the Baloch people and his assassination is condemnable in every sense. Imran claimed that it has been so easy for the PTI to get power by changing loyalties, but the party does not compromise on its principles. Imran said at least 70 drone attacks have so far been carried out inside Pakistan, killing 700 people, while only 14 al-Qaeda operators could be targeted during these strikes. The PTI chief expressed his resolve to leave for Karachi on May 3 at all costs for launching membership movement of the party. REFERENCE: Sufi has acted against Quran, says Imran our correspondent Monday, April 27, 2009 http://www.thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=21757&Cat=13&dt=4%2F27%2F2009
ISLAMABAD: A Pakistani police official says thousands of people beat a man to death, and burned his corpse after he was accused of desecrating the holy Quran. A senior police officer Mohammed Azhar Gujar said that in the incident on Tuesday in the Ahmedpur East area of Punjab’s Bahawalpur district, attackers stormed a police station where the man was being interrogated. He said the victim seemed to be mentally unstable. He was arrested after residents said he threw pages of the Quran into the street. While the man was being questioned, some people started making announcements over mosque loudspeakers, urging residents to go to the police station and punish him. Within hours, thousands gathered outside and demanded the man be handed over to them. Gujar said police tried to protect him, but the mob turned violent. They burned several police vehicles and wounded seven officers before grabbing the man and dragging him into the street, where he was beaten to death and his body set on fire. Gujar said the mob also attacked the house of an area police chief and burned his furniture and possessions. It was unclear whether the man was Muslim, a member of Pakistan’s Christian minority or belonged to another religion. His name was not released. Pakistani Christians live in fear of being arrested under the blasphemy laws, which critics say are often misused to settle personal scores or family feuds. Efforts to change the laws have made little headway. Last year, two prominent Pakistani political figures who spoke out against the blasphemy laws were killed in attacks that raised concerns about the rise of religious extremism in Pakistan. On June 17, a crowd attempted to lynch a blasphemy suspect as they tried to storm into the police station where he was held. A group of lawyers attempted to attack the same suspect the next day following his production in court but policemen successfully foiled both attacks. In Quetta last month, a man was killed as a mob attacked a police station holding a “mentally retarded” man also suspected of desecrating the holy book. Former Punjab governor Salman Taseer was shot dead in January last year by one of his police bodyguards for opposing the blasphemy law. The incident highlighted the highly charged nature of the country’s blasphemy laws, under which anyone found guilty of insulting the prophet or the Quran can be sentenced to death. Sometimes, however, people take the matter into their own hands. During a visit to Pakistan in May, Gabriela Knaul, the UN’s Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, said lawyers are often reluctant to defend clients accused under the blasphemy laws because of intimidation, and judges are often pressured to convict. Mob kills man, burns corpse for desecrating Quran http://dawn.com/2012/07/04/mob-kills-man-burns-corpse-for-desecrating-quran/
Those who have set a Human being on Fire should read The Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) who has forbidden burning people with fire. He said, "Lord of fire is the only One Who can punish by fire.", narrated by Abu-Dawud and al-Dârimî.
Administering Justice and awarding punishment is the responsibility of the Ruler/State [even in the harshest Islamic State] not of the Masses or Mullahs. A detail view is as under for kind perusal. I guarantee you that those (Non-State Actors) commit murder in the name of Blasphemy Law are also the most ignorant about Islam, Quran and Shariah. "Killing" is the Right of "Judiciary" - Qazi, means Enforcement of Law and Administering "Punishment" is the Responsibility of State not the "Masses" and what Muslims in Pakistanis do is this "they violate very religion they claim to follow" - lets assume that Blasphemy Law is right and Guilty is to be punished through Death Sentence then that "sentence" would be implemented by the State not the "Public".It is not permissible for individuals to carry out this punishment themselves. Rather the matter must be referred to the ruler or his deputy to prove the crime and carry out the punishment, because if individuals carry out hadd punishments, that will lead to a great deal of corruption and evil. Ibn Muflih al-Hanbali (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in al-Furoo’ (6/53): It is haraam for anyone to carry out a hadd punishment except the ruler or his deputy. This is something on which the fuqaha’ of Islam are unanimously agreed, as was stated in al-Mawsoo’ah al-Fiqhiyyah (5/280): The fuqaha’ are unanimously agreed that the one who should carry out hadd punishments is the ruler or his deputy, whether the punishment is transgressing one of the limits of Allaah, may He be exalted, such as zina, or a transgression against another person, such as slander. {Further References: Durrul Al Behy by Shawkani, Baloogh Al Maram by Hajar Asqalani - both are in Arabic and available in English and Urdu as well]
The judgement of apostasy and expelling someone from the religion is only appropriate for the people of knowledge who are firmly grounded in knowledge, and they are the judges in the various Sharee’ah law courts, and those who are able of giving legal verdicts. And this is just like the other matters, and it is not the right of every person, or from the right of those who are learning, or those who ascribe themselves to knowledge, but who have deficiency in understanding. It is not appropriate for them to make judgements of apostasy (upon others). Since, mischief will arise from this, and sometimes a Muslim might be judged as an apostate but he is not actually so. And the takfir of a Muslim who has not committed one of the nullifications of Islaam contains great danger. Whoever says to his brother “O Kaafir” or “O Faasiq”, and he is not like that, then the words will fall back upon the one who said them. Hence, the ones who actually judge with apostasy are the legislative judges and those who are able and fit for giving legal verdicts. And as for those who enforce the judgements they are the leaders of the Muslims (wullaat al-amr). As for whatever is other than this, then it is mere confusion.” “Meting out the punishments is only appropriate for the leader of the Muslims and it is not for every person to establish the punishment, since confusion, and corruption necessarily follows from this, and also the cutting off of the society, tribulations and provocations occur. Establishing the punishments is appropriate (i.e. befits only) to the Muslim leader. The Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wasallam) said, “Pardon each other for the punishments that are between you, but when the execution of the punishment reaches the [authority of the] Sultaan, then Allaah curses both the one who seeks intercession and the one who grants the intercession [i.e. to revoke the punishment]”. And from the responsibilities of the Sultaan in Islaam, and from those matters that befit him is the establishment of the punishments after they have been established legislatively, via the Sharee’ah law courts, upon the one who fell into the crime for which the legislator has designated a specific punishment, such as for stealing. So what has been said is that establishing the punishments (i.e. meting them out) is from the rights of the Sultaan, and when the Muslims do not have a Sultaan amongst them, then they should just suffice with commanding the good and forbidding the evil, and calling to Allaah, the Might and Majestic, with wisdom, good admonition and arguing with that which is best. And it is not permissible for individuals (in the society) to establish the hudood, since that, as we have mentioned, will bring about chaos, and also provocations, and tribulations will arise, and this contains greater corruption than it contains rectification. And from amongst the Sharee’ah principles that are submitted to is, “Repelling the harmful things takes precedence over bringing about the beneficial things”. FURTHER REFERENCES/READING: The Takfiris make unlicensed Takfeer of Governments and scholars and call the common-folk to bloody revolution as a way to remove such governments and establish Islaamic Law. http://www.salafipublications.com/sps/downloads/pdf/MSC060006.pdf
Administering Justice and awarding punishment is the responsibility of the Ruler/State [even in the harshest Islamic State] not of the Masses or Mullahs. A detail view is as under for kind perusal. I guarantee you that those who have done the above deed would also have been the most ignorant about Islam, Quran and Shariah.
Read the "Shahadat - Testimony of Late. Mr. Salman Taseer for proving that he was a Muslim" and do read News filed by the Ansar Abbasi of Jang Group, and Program Telecast against Mr. Salman Taseer on GEO TV to prove that he was not Muslim for inciting hate against him and read these Hadiths in the light of Salman Taseer's Testimony published by the very Jang Group after inciting masses for his murder.
"QUOTE"
Whoever offers prayers as we do and turns his face to our Qiblah and eats the animal slaughtered by us, he is a Muslim for whom is the covenant of Allah and the covenant of the Messenger of Allah; so do not violate Allah's covenant." [Sahih Bukhari]
``Ibn Umar related that the Holy Prophet said: If a Muslim calls another kafir, then if he is a kafir let it be so; otherwise, he [the caller] is himself a kafir.''(Sunnan Abu Dawood)
``Abu Zarr reported that the Holy Prophet said: No man accuses another man of being a sinner, or of being a kafir, but it reflects back on him if the other is not as he called him.''(Bukhari)
``Withhold [your tongues] from those who say `There is no god but Allah' --- do not call them kafir. Whoever calls a reciter of `There is no god but Allah' as a kafir, is nearer to being a kafir himself.'' (Tabarani, reported from Abdullah Ibn Omar)
If the above Hadiths do not satisfy then read this!
Usaamah bin Zaid reported,
“Allaah’s Messenger sent us towards Al-Huruqa, and in the morning we attacked them and defeated them. I and an Ansari man followed a man from among them and when we overwhelmed him, he said, “La ilaha illal-Lah.” On hearing that, the Ansari man stopped, but I killed him by stabbing him with my spear. When we returned, the Prophet (sal-Allaahu `alayhe wa sallam) came to know about that and he said:
"O Usaamah! Did you kill him after he had said “La ilaha ilal-Lah?” I said, “But he said so only to save himself.” He kept on repeating that so often that I wished I had not embraced Islaam before that day. [Agreed upon, and this is the wording of Bukhari]
and in another version in Sahih Muslim about the same incident:
``Did you tear open his heart to see what was in it?'' [Muslim]
"UNQUOTE"
How Mullah Hanif Qureshi instigated the murder of Salman Taseer
Determining whether someone is a kaafir or a faasiq (faasiq) is not up to us, rather it is up to Allaah, may He be exalted, and His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). This is one of the rulings of sharee’ah that is to be referred to the Qur’aan and Sunnah, so we should be very careful and base our judgement on clear proof. No one may be judged to be a kaafir or faasiq except the one whom the Qur’aan and Sunnah indicate is a kaafir or faasiq. The basic principle is that the one who appears outwardly to be a Muslim of good character is regarded as still being a Muslim of good character, until it is proven that this is no longer the case by means of evidence that is acceptable in sharee’ah. It is not permissible to take lightly the matter of judging someone to be a kaafir or faasiq, because that involves two very serious matters: Deatils: REFERENCES: Guidelines on takfeer (ruling someone to be a kaafir) http://islamqa.info/en/ref/85102/takfeer
ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Friday directed the authorities to pay equal compensation to the heirs of all 103 people killed in the Lal Masjid operation, DawnNews reported. A three-judge bench of the apex court, comprising Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, Justice Jawwad S Khwaja and Justice Khilji Arif Hussain, issued the ruling while hearing a number of cases relating to the Lal Masjid incident. During the hearing, Justice Khwaja said that those killed in the operation were innocent as the police could not produce any criminal records against them. Moreover, Islamabad police submitted two reports pertaining to the operation in the court. Addressing the deputy attorney general, Chief Justice Iftikhar said the court had directed the government to compensate the heirs of those killed in the operation. He inquired of the deputy attorney general as to how the authorities determined who was innocent and who was not. The deputy attorney general said the heirs of those who were waging war against the state were not compensated. Responding to which the chief justice said: “It was a small matter…no one was waging war against the state.” The court then ruled that compensation be paid to the heirs of all 103 people killed in the operation and directed the police to register an FIR of the killings. The hearing was adjourned for a period of two weeks. REFERENCE: Lal Masjid case: SC orders payment of compensation to heirs of those killed DAWN.COM | 25th May, 2012 http://dawn.com/2012/05/25/lal-masjid-case-sc-orders-payment-of-compensation-to-heirs-of-those-killed/
Maulana Abdul Aziz at a press briefing told the media that the issue had been settled with the efforts of Interior Minister Rehman Malik and property tycoon Malik Riaz. He further said that the Lal Mosque management had reached an agreement with the local administration as a result of which 20 kanals of land would be allocated for the reconstruction of seminary building in H-11 near graveyard. “We have also okayed the proposed site as it is near to the graves of martyrs of Lal Mosque and Jamia Hafsa,” he added. The year 2011 ends on an alarming and bitter note for Pakistan: succumbing to the incessant pressures from the religio-political groups, the Islamabad Capital Administration, and the Capital Development Authority – with the mediation of the real estate tycoon Riaz Malik – who signed off 2.5 acres of land in H-11 sector for the reconstruction of the Jamia Hafsa that had once stood by the Red Mosque. Originally allotted around 256 square yards for a day-school facility for girls, the seminary went on to occupy four times the space – illegally. It was eventually demolished following the bloody operation on July 10, 2007, and after several attempts by Maulana Aziz, the authorities have now caved in and allowed them 2.5 acres of land for a new Jamia Hafsa, although the Supreme Court had allowed them only reconstruction on the original 256 square yards. So much for the rule of law and the political expedience of the real ruling elite. A warning to all and sundry in Pakistan: religio-political groups can impose their will wherever they want. REFERENCES: Jamia Hafsa given substitute land By: Imran Mukhtar | December 30, 2011 http://www.nation.com.pk/pakistan-news-newspaper-daily-english-online/islamabad/30-Dec-2011/jamia-hafsa-given-substitute-land Battlefront Pakistan: A Political Retrospective of 2011 By Imtiaz Gul 4 FEBRUARY 2012 http://www.newslinemagazine.com/2012/02/battlefront-pakistan-a-political-retrospective-of-2011/ Veiled Threats By Massoud Ansari 12 APRIL 2007 http://www.newslinemagazine.com/2007/04/veiled-threats/ Rendezvous With the ‘Others’ By Aliya Salahuddin 14 JULY 2007 http://www.newslinemagazine.com/2007/07/rendezvous-with-the-others/
Army commander killed in line of duty at Lal Masjid Shakeel Anjum Monday, July 09, 2007 ISLAMABAD: The final operation to put down the Lal Masjid revolt is imminent as President General Pervez Musharraf on Sunday gave a go-ahead to the security forces to act decisively. The decision to wrap up the six-day siege of Lal Masjid-Jamia Hafsa complex was taken on the heels of the killing of Lt-Col Haroon Islam by militants early on Sunday morning. Musharraf called a high-level meeting on Monday morning as fresh troops started taking positions around the complex shortly before midnight on Sunday. The guns remained silent all day. An exchange of fire took place as the night fell. This was, however, not as intensive as was witnessed in the past few days. It appeared to be a lull before the storm. Announcements were made on loudspeakers by the security forces asking the Lal Masjid inmates to let them carry the injured to hospitals. Ambulances were also seen moving towards the Lal Masjid. However, none of the injured was evacuated. Earlier, deputy cleric of the Lal Masjid Maulana Abdur Rashid Ghazi while talking to a private TV channel claimed that 305 persons were killed due to the intense firing by the security forces late Saturday night. He claimed that the bodies were lying scattered in different areas of the complex. However, ISPR spokesman Maj-Gen Waheed Arshad and Interior Ministry spokesman Brig (retd) Javed Iqbal Cheema termed the claim of the Lal Masjid cleric as false and without any basis. Ghazi called a press conference in Lal Masjid but no journalist could reach there. The administration later blocked all the mobile phone connections being used by Maulana Ghazi and his supporters in the mosque. The security agencies demolished a major portion of Jamia Hafsa complex early Sunday morning. “The whole complex will be flattened gradually within 24 hours,” the sources said. “About 150 women, children and men are being kept hostages by the militants in different rooms in the basement of the complex,” the sources claimed, quoting statements of Noor Hayat and Shah Akbar, who had escaped from the complex on Sunday. They said they had mapped the point where the innocent people were being kept hostages. Meanwhile, officials who witnessed the killing of Lt-Col Islam said that the late colonel along with Maj Tariq was planting explosives on the boundary wall of the mosque when the extremists sprayed bullets on him. Muhammad Maqsood, guard of Maulana Abdul Rashid Ghazi, was killed in the retaliatory fire by the security forces, they added. “Two young Afghan national militants, Fidaullah, 19, commander of security wing, and Khanzada, 18, involved in different incidents of terrorism in Pakistan, fired at Lt-Col Haroon Islam and Maj Tariq,” the sources said. The police have registered FIR No 230 dated 7/13/2007 at the Aabpara Police Station on the complaint of wounded Major Tariq against Ghazi and his aides under Section 302 and 324 PPC and 6/7 ATA (anti-terrorist act) for killing the Army commando, the sources said. “Ghazi is hidden in an underground room in Lal Masjid along with his mother, Sahib Bibi, Auntie Halima (the sister of his father) and sister of his mother, Lal Bibi,” the sources claimed. Meanwhile, the authorities have started releasing innocent persons, arrested during the last five days in the operation. “As many as 748 people have been arrested so far,” the sources said. Of them, 447 accused were in jail while 152, most of them underage, have been handed over to their parents/wards by the prime minister in Jinnah Sports Complex. Some 149 were in different police stations of Islamabad. The criteria of declaring the detained people innocent has been established by the authorities, the sources said, adding: “Three categories of detained persons have been set to fix responsibilities after the screening of the arrested people – white, grey and black. The accused placed in ‘black’ category were involved in heinous offences and would be booked under the anti-terrorist act; ‘grey’ would be booked under less serious offences while ‘white’ would be booked for minor offences under 188 PPC.” The sources said that over 20 inmates were wounded during the late Saturday night firing. “Killings during the crossfire cannot be ruled out,” they said. REFERENCE: Army commander killed in line of duty at Lal Masjid Shakeel Anjum Monday, July 09, 2007 http://www.thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=8908&Cat=13&dt=7/9/2007
Commander’s killing raises spectre of all-out assault By Syed Irfan Raza July 09, 2007 ISLAMABAD, July 8: As the standoff between Lal Masjid militants and security forces entered the sixth day on Sunday, the killing of SSG Commander Lt-Col Haroon Islam by militants raised the possibility of an all-out assault on the complex. After the death of the SSG commando chief during an abortive attempt to enter the mosque, no major exchange of fire took place throughout the day, except for a few shots fired from both sides. Special Services Group Commander received a fatal bullet injury while trying to enter the mosque along with his three colleagues — Maj Tariq, Capt Omar and Capt Bilal. The three commandos received bullet injuries and the condition of Maj Tariq was stated to be critical. In a surprise move late on Sunday night, the security forces closed the camp office of the Rawalpindi-Islamabad Press Club situated a few yards away from the ‘no-go area’ within the curfew zone. They also asked journalists to leave the area. The action reinforced the view that security forces were planning to storm the complex. Two students surrendered on Sunday. They have been identified as Akbar Shah and Noor Hayyat. A helicopter flew low over Lal Masjid to take some pictures of the mosque which indicated that the roof of the Jamia Hafsa was intact, but its outer walls had been damaged. The pictures also proved wrong a claim made by Maulana Ghazi that some 300 girl students had died in Saturday night attack. Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz presided over a high-level security meeting at which he reiterated the government’s position that the militants must release all hostages, lay down their weapons and submit before the law. “They have not only adopted an uncompromising attitude, but also provoked law-enforcement agencies,” he said. The prime minister said that every possible effort had been made by the government to start dialogue with the Lal Masjid administration, but the response of the militants had always been unreasonable. Meanwhile, some political circles have urged the government to provide a ‘safe passage’ to Lal Masjid Maulana Abdul Rashid Ghazi to resolve the issue peacefully. However, Interior Minister Aftab Sharpao told reporters that the government would never provide a safe passage to Maulana Ghazi. He said the government was avoiding an attack on the mosque in order to save the lives of innocent students who had been made hostage by hardcore militants. In a separate press conference, Minister for Religious Affairs Ijazul Haq said that some foreign militants were also present inside the mosque and they were fighting alongside local militants against members of the security forces. He said some high-profile terrorists, who were wanted both inside and outside the country, were also holed up in the mosque. He, however, refused to divulge their names and the groups they belonged to. He said there was also information that terrorists involved in the attack on the prime minister in Attock were also present in the mosque. Talking to Dawn, Interior Secretary Syed Kamal Shah said that at least 15 suicide bombers were present in the mosque and they had been given explosive belts. “We also have information that militants have heavy ammunition, landmines and rocket launchers,” he said. He said the government had cut 12 landline telephones of Lal Masjid and blocked over 80 SIMs of mobile telephones being used by Maulana Ghazi to contact journalists. He said that Lal Masjid militants had made all students, including girls, hostage and injured three girls by firing on their legs when they tried to escape. “We believe that the militants might kill all students and put the blame on the government,” he said. REFERENCE: Commander’s killing raises spectre of all-out assault By Syed Irfan Raza July 09, 2007 Monday Jamadi-us-Sani 23, 1428 http://archives.dawn.com/2007/07/09/top2.htm
Hardcore terrorists holed up inside Lal Masjid: Ejaz Monday, July 09, 2007 ISLAMABAD: Some hardcore terrorists, involved in various national and international terrorist acts, have pitched inside the Lal Masjid and the government will disclose their number and identity at an appropriate time. Minister for Religious Affairs, Ejaz-ul-Haq stated this at a press conference here on Sunday. He supported his statement with the information that the man killed on the second day of operation on Lal Masjid was one of the terrorists involved in attack on the prime minister. The minister said these elements have taken control of the mosque and are bullying the children taken as hostage, with death threats. The government has adopted flexible stance only due to presence of students inside the mosque, Ejaz said, adding: ìAbout 200 to 500 students are estimated to be surrounded and strictly guarded by these terrorists.î
The minister informed that the government has released approximately 200 of the arrested students so far, while 450 to 500 students are still in custody and arrangement for lodging and education for these students at the Model Madrassah in Haji Camp is being considered. All of the Jamia Fareedia students have left for their homes, while faculty members and their families are kept in protective custody there, he told a questioner. Replying to a query about the high number deaths in the Madrassah as claimed by Maulana Ghazi, the minister said: “A rumour factory working in the Madrassah is engaged in distracting attention of the media. The truth will be exposed after ambulances bring the bodies out from there.” Coming hard on the demand of safe passage to these elements, he said, “What kind of safe passage they are talking about? They are reaping what they harvested.”
The government tried every option but the Madrassah administration kept altering its demands, he added. Responding to a question, the minister reiterated the government’s stance that no action was being taken against any other Madrassah in the country. Referring to different government steps the minister said meetings have been arranged with renowned religious scholars so as to secure release of students from the Madrassah and avoid bloodshed. Maulana Rafi Usmani and Hafiz Jalandhari have reached Islamabad in this connection while a three-minister committee is also closely watching the situation, he added. Responding to another question, the minister criticised the leaders of Jamaat-e-Islami for showing hasty gestures and issuing irresponsible statements. REFERENCE: Hardcore terrorists holed up inside Lal Masjid: Ejaz Monday, July 09, 2007 http://www.thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=63682&Cat=6&dt=7/9/2007
A bastion linked to militancy Thursday, July 05, 2007 ISLAMABAD: The Lal Masjid has long been known as a bastion of radicals in the heart of the capital, Islamabad. But Maulana Abdul Aziz and Maulana Abdul Rashid Ghazi, two brothers who run the mosque, also have known intelligence ties. The red-brick mosque was set up by the father of the two Maulanas, in the 1960s, when the city was first built on scrubby flat land up against the Himalayan foothills. The father, Maulana Muhammad Abdullah, turned the mosque into a headquarters of radicals in the 1980s, when fighters, backed by Pakistan, the United States and Saudi Arabia, battled Soviet occupiers in Afghanistan. When Maulana Abdullah was assassinated in 1998 his sons took up his mantle. The brothers have for years delivered fiery sermons at their mosque in a neighbourhood of tree-lined streets near a main shopping area, and not far from the parliament and a high-security diplomatic enclave. After 9/11 the mosque became a focal point of anti-US and anti-Musharraf sentiments after Pakistan abandoned the Taliban and aligned himself with Washington’s “war on terror”. The changed scenario brought the clerics’ relations with the intelligence services under stress. The Maulana brothers exhorted followers to join Jihad against the US involvement in Afghanistan and Iraq. Books, newspapers, CDs and cassettes glorifying Jihad have for years been sold at stalls outside the mosque.
The gulf widened in 2003 when the clerics issued an edict against Pakistani troop operations targeting the Taliban and al-Qaeda figures in the tribal areas. Still some sections of the intelligence network continued to provide clandestine support to the clerics, despite their hostility towards Musharraf, according to a security official and reports. In 2004, the government accused Ghazi of involvement in a plot to attack the Presidency and the US embassy and arrested up to 10 al-Qaeda suspects in connection with the plot. Security forces tried to raid the mosque in 2005 during an investigation of Pakistani links to the London bombings that year. In 2005, some arms were found in a vehicle owned by Maulana Abdul Rashid Ghazi, after which police picked up several suspects for plotting attacks. A terrorism case was lodged against Ghazi but it was shelved on the intervention of Religious Affairs Minister Ejaz-ul Haq.
“I helped Ghazi because he assured me he was not involved and the car was used without his knowledge,” Ejaz said recently in a television talk show. The latest trouble at the mosque and the adjoining Jamia Hafsa — Madrassa for girls and women — began in January when the brothers, Abdul Aziz and Abdul Rashid Ghazi, embarked on an apparent collision course with the government and their Burqa-clad students started a Taliban-style anti-vice campaign. The mosque said it has around 5,000 male and 4,000 female students, ranging in ages from early teens to the mid 20s. Most are from conservative tribal areas. The students occupied a library to protest against a campaign to remove mosques built illegally on state land. In March, the students abducted three Pakistani women they accused of running a brothel and held them for several days. They also abducted and briefly held policemen, and have warned video shops to stop selling Western films deemed obscene.
Animosity reached fever pitch last month when the students upped the stakes, kidnapping nine people including six Chinese women from an acupuncture clinic, claiming it was a brothel. The nine were released after 17 hours but not before Pakistan was hugely embarrassed over the failure to protect citizens of China, its most steadfast ally. Security sources said Taliban militants were using the sprawling compound to hide in, as were sectarian “Jihadis”, belonging to banned militants groups. Security sources also say slain Afghan Taliban commander Mullah Dadullah also had links with the brothers. “We had intelligence for some time now that militants were trained as suicide bombers at this complex, having a nexus with the Taliban hiding in our tribal areas”, a senior security official said. Several Taliban commanders lodged at the mosque during trips to the capital, the official said on condition of anonymity. While some militant clerics have voiced support for Lal Masjid, the country’s most prominent hardline preachers appeared on Wednesday to be distancing themselves from the mosque. Maulana Sami-ul-Haq, a senator who runs a famous Madrassa in the NWFP, said he had tried to get Lal Masjid clerics to give up their aggressive tactics. “As far as their demand of enforcing the Sharia is concerned, it is the basic right of every Muslim,” he said. “But we differed with their way of doing it and I and others tried to convince them to give it up. But the government should not attack Lal Masjid. It will create thousands of Lal Masjids throughout the country. It will then be impossible to handle,” he said. REFERENCE: A bastion linked to militancy Thursday, July 05, 2007 http://www.thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=63247&Cat=6&dt=7/5/2007
Maulana Abdul Aziz Ghazi escaped in Burqa - Part - 2
Army commander killed in line of duty at Lal Masjid Shakeel Anjum Monday, July 09, 2007 ISLAMABAD: The final operation to put down the Lal Masjid revolt is imminent as President General Pervez Musharraf on Sunday gave a go-ahead to the security forces to act decisively. The decision to wrap up the six-day siege of Lal Masjid-Jamia Hafsa complex was taken on the heels of the killing of Lt-Col Haroon Islam by militants early on Sunday morning. Musharraf called a high-level meeting on Monday morning as fresh troops started taking positions around the complex shortly before midnight on Sunday. The guns remained silent all day. An exchange of fire took place as the night fell. This was, however, not as intensive as was witnessed in the past few days. It appeared to be a lull before the storm. Announcements were made on loudspeakers by the security forces asking the Lal Masjid inmates to let them carry the injured to hospitals. Ambulances were also seen moving towards the Lal Masjid. However, none of the injured was evacuated. Earlier, deputy cleric of the Lal Masjid Maulana Abdur Rashid Ghazi while talking to a private TV channel claimed that 305 persons were killed due to the intense firing by the security forces late Saturday night. He claimed that the bodies were lying scattered in different areas of the complex.
However, ISPR spokesman Maj-Gen Waheed Arshad and Interior Ministry spokesman Brig (retd) Javed Iqbal Cheema termed the claim of the Lal Masjid cleric as false and without any basis. Ghazi called a press conference in Lal Masjid but no journalist could reach there. The administration later blocked all the mobile phone connections being used by Maulana Ghazi and his supporters in the mosque. The security agencies demolished a major portion of Jamia Hafsa complex early Sunday morning. “The whole complex will be flattened gradually within 24 hours,” the sources said. “About 150 women, children and men are being kept hostages by the militants in different rooms in the basement of the complex,” the sources claimed, quoting statements of Noor Hayat and Shah Akbar, who had escaped from the complex on Sunday. They said they had mapped the point where the innocent people were being kept hostages.
Meanwhile, officials who witnessed the killing of Lt-Col Islam said that the late colonel along with Maj Tariq was planting explosives on the boundary wall of the mosque when the extremists sprayed bullets on him. Muhammad Maqsood, guard of Maulana Abdul Rashid Ghazi, was killed in the retaliatory fire by the security forces, they added. “Two young Afghan national militants, Fidaullah, 19, commander of security wing, and Khanzada, 18, involved in different incidents of terrorism in Pakistan, fired at Lt-Col Haroon Islam and Maj Tariq,” the sources said. The police have registered FIR No 230 dated 7/13/2007 at the Aabpara Police Station on the complaint of wounded Major Tariq against Ghazi and his aides under Section 302 and 324 PPC and 6/7 ATA (anti-terrorist act) for killing the Army commando, the sources said. “Ghazi is hidden in an underground room in Lal Masjid along with his mother, Sahib Bibi, Auntie Halima (the sister of his father) and sister of his mother, Lal Bibi,” the sources claimed.
Meanwhile, the authorities have started releasing innocent persons, arrested during the last five days in the operation. “As many as 748 people have been arrested so far,” the sources said. Of them, 447 accused were in jail while 152, most of them underage, have been handed over to their parents/wards by the prime minister in Jinnah Sports Complex. Some 149 were in different police stations of Islamabad. The criteria of declaring the detained people innocent has been established by the authorities, the sources said, adding: “Three categories of detained persons have been set to fix responsibilities after the screening of the arrested people – white, grey and black. The accused placed in ‘black’ category were involved in heinous offences and would be booked under the anti-terrorist act; ‘grey’ would be booked under less serious offences while ‘white’ would be booked for minor offences under 188 PPC.” The sources said that over 20 inmates were wounded during the late Saturday night firing. “Killings during the crossfire cannot be ruled out,” they said. REFERENCE: Army commander killed in line of duty at Lal Masjid Shakeel Anjum Monday, July 09, 2007 http://www.thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=8908&Cat=13&dt=7/9/2007
Maulana Abdul Aziz Ghazi escaped in Burqa - Part - 3
‘Foreigners, SSP militants holed up inside’ our correspondent Monday, July 09, 2007 ISLAMABAD: Eleven foreign militants, including a Chechen woman fighting the security forces, are among the 44-person Lal Masjid administration, authoritative sources told The News on Sunday. “Twenty-one of them belong to the banned militant group, Sipah-e-Sahaba, and are wanted by the police for their involvement in various terrorist activities,” the sources maintained. They said that the militants had 30 Kalashnikov rifles, two LMGs, a rocket-launcher and hundreds of petrol bombs in stock. A Taliban leader, Jannat Gul, an Afghan national, had provided arms to the militants, the sources added. Jannat Gul, Fidaullah Khan (in-charge Security), Khanzada (deputy in-charge security), Sher Khan, Abdul Sattar, Sanaullah, Saifullah, Imran Yousafzai, Muhammad Afzal Khan and Saifullah Khan are among those militants who are connected to the Taliban in Afghanistan, the sources said, adding, they all are wanted by the law-enforcement agencies in various terrorism cases. The Lal Masjid administration includes Abdul Rashid Ghazi, 45, Majida Abdul Aziz alias Umme Hassan, the wife of Maulana Abdul Aziz, Humaira Ghazi, 40, the wife of Abdul Rashid Ghazi, Isma Dua, 16, alias Hamna Abdullah, the daughter of Maulana Abdul Aziz, Muhammad Hassan, 19, the son of Maulana Abdul Aziz, Muhammad Haroon, 16, the son of Abdul Rashid Ghazi, Riaz Qureshi, (in-charge transport department), Muhammad Manzoor, Abdul Qayyum, private secretary, and a confidant of Rashid Ghazi, Ghous Muhammad Baloch, Asad Hasan, Naseer Ahmad, Shahzad Shaikh, Abdul Rauf, Shabbir, Bilal Ahmad (Department Taviz), Muhammad Yousaf Khan, Mahmood Rehman, Tariq, Muhammad Sadiq, Abdul Rehman, Amna Nadeem, Dost Muhammad, Asiya, Yasmeen, Amna, Shaheen, Fiza, Maria and Khola, besdies 21 activists of the banned Sipaha-e-Sahaba Pakistan. “Ten Taliban militants have made about 150 innocent people hostage, while the Sipah-e-Sahaba people are assisting them”, the security sources said, adding, “We have strong evidence of the presence of 11 foreigners engaged in confronting the security forces but there is a likelihood that their number can be more than expected.” REFERENCE: ‘Foreigners, SSP militants holed up inside’ our correspondent Monday, July 09, 2007 http://www.thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=8910&Cat=13&dt=7/9/2007
Govt compromise with Ghazi will not be unique Ansar Abbasi Monday, July 09, 2007 ISLAMABAD: If a fugitive from law, wanted for his alleged involvement in heinous crimes, could be appointed the governor of a province, what bars the government from offering concessions to Maulana Abdur Rashid Ghazi for the sake of the lives of hundreds of innocents, including children and women, still holed up in Lal Masjid? Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ebad Khan of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) was a “wanted” man when he was offered this prestigious public office. Gen Pervez Musharraf had to swallow this bitter pill because he wanted the MQM to join the ISI-made Pakistan Muslim League-Q to make his choice governments, both at the Centre and the province. For his own political gains, the writ of the government was compromised. At the time of appointment of Ebad as the Sindh governor, newspaper reports alleged that he was facing charges of heinous crimes. However, in a briefing session, President Musharraf told newspaper editors that he had checked this allegation and there was no charge of any heinous crime against Ebad.
We have seen the government turning a blind eye to the gory killings of around 40 persons in Karachi on May 12. The private television channels showed live coverage of the mafia ruling the streets of Karachi and killing people with sophisticated weapons without any sign of remorse or fear of being caught. President Musharraf in his post-May 12 Karachi visit rejected the idea of holding a probe into the ruthless cold-blooded murder of dozens in the city of lights. He rather suggested to the media men confronting him to forget the past and look towards the future. So the writ of the government was again compromised and the killers were allowed to go scot-free. In this case too, what was at stake was the vested interest of the rulers. The Lal Masjid crisis, which had initially started as a confrontation between the law-enforcers and those challenging the writ of the government, has now become a humanitarian issue. The crisis that has entered sixth day has already claimed over 20 lives and there are claims from inside Lal Masjid of a huge death toll of Jamia Hafsa students. An SSG Colonel also fell victim to this disaster in the wee hours of Sunday.
Though the exchange of fire continues intermittently from both sides, there is a standoff over the negotiated settlement of the issue. Maulana Abdul Rashid Ghazi, who after the arrest of the Lal Masjid’s linchpin Maulana Abdul Aziz, has emerged as the man deciding the fate of hundreds of those still inside the mosque. Previously considered to be a flexible man, Ghazi has proved to be an extremely tough negotiator. With unconfirmed reports pouring out of the mosque that hundreds of women, children and even men are held hostage and are being used as a human shield by Ghazi and an unknown number of Islamists present there, now the government finds itself in a catch-22 situation. To avoid the loss of innocent lives it has rightly decided not to storm the mosque. The government has activated leaders like Ch Shujaat Hussain to find a negotiated solution to the crisis by engaging Ghazi. But so far the government is not willing to offer the kind of concessions demanded by Ghazi. Ghazi had initially sought safe passage for himself and his mother in return for the surrender of all those present in the mosque. Later, he even demanded the institution of a judicial probe into the cases framed against him to avoid arrest. The government has also not agreed to this.
After seeing how his elder brother was humiliated by the government on the state-run television following his arrest, Ghazi must be apprehensive of mistreatment once he surrenders. He would want to be doubly sure that he is not disgraced publicly. Talking to a private television channel, Maulana Ghazi had said that he and his mother would prefer death to the kind of humiliating treatment meted out to his brother. To attain the prime objective of securing the safe release of hundreds of those present in the Lal Masjid, the government should not feel shy to offer the kind of concessions sought by Ghazi. Ghazi is not more important than those still present in the mosque. In such a situation a compromise made to save even one innocent life would be construed as “wisdom” or “astuteness”. This crisis has already played havoc with the nerves of the nation. It must not be dragged any further if a disaster is to be averted. The implications of this standoff could be disastrous for Pakistan. REFERENCE: Govt compromise with Ghazi will not be unique Ansar Abbasi Monday, July 09, 2007 http://www.thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=8916&Cat=13&dt=7/9/2007
Students happy to leave Lal Masjid Thursday, July 05, 2007 ISLAMABAD: Many male and female students of Lal Masjid and Jamia Hafsa were happy on getting rid of the title of ‘Taliban’ after being released from the premises. Many students released from the custody of local Taliban of Lal Masjid commented that they are leaving the Lal Masjid either at their own will or on the desire of their parents but they are satisfied on exiting from this horrible situation. Irsa, a seven-year-old female child from Fateh Jang, was leaving Lal Masjid with her mother. When she was asked that whether she was happy to go her home or want to live in Jamia Hafsa, Irsa said: “I want to go home and I am happy to leave the madrassa.” When asked that in which class she was studying in the seminary, she keep quiet and was unable to speak. When her mother was asked did she think it sensible to get admit a seven-year-old female child in a madrassa like Jamia Hafsa, she said that she admitted her daughter in the madrassa on the recommendation of some relative but she will never get her daughter back here.
Maria from Haripur said that she had left Jamia Hafsa earlier when the tension was increased, however, she joined again just to complete her studies. She said that she is happy as she is going to her home and leaving this tense environment. Aysha Niaz, whose cousin Muhammad Saeed came to Lal Masjid to take her home, said: “I want to complete my studies but now it is not possible. I am sad for not completing my studies, however, I am glad on leaving this place. Another girl Bano was also happy on leaving Jamia Hafsa but she defended her madrassa activities to overcome social evils. When this correspondent asked her that how will she justify the kidnapping of Chinese girls from F-8/3, she said that they were running a brothel and it is the responsibility of every citizen to try to eradicate such evils from the society. When asked that did she or her madrassa administration informed the government about this brothel or took action directly, clearly challenging writ of the government, she replied that government officials already knew about these brothels and there was no need to inform the government on this issue.
A girl from Murree, who didn’t tell her name, said that she was leaving for never coming back. Fouzia Shamroz from Attock was very happy on leaving her militant school and said that now she will complete her studies in Jamia Muhammadia Hassan Abdal in a peaceful environment. Iftikhar, father of a female student from Haripur, said that he had taken her daughter back to home for several times but he had to get her back to Jamia Hafsa on normalisation of situation. However, he said that he and her daughter are happy that they are going back to home safely and now they will never come back. Um-e-Hamna, a female teacher of Jamia Hafsa, who was leaving for her home with her mother, was very emotional on leaving the premises. She said that she is leaving just because of her mother who insisted her to do so. Um-e-Hamna said that she could inflict suicide attack in future. When this correspondent asked her, “we all are Muslims and Pakistanis, why would she inflict suicide attack on our own people,” she replied: “From yesterday (Tuesday) we are no more one and same, you are all against us.”
Many of the male students were not speaking to media. Few, who spoke said that they are happy to escape from this crucial situation. However, they said, “we side with our administration on this crisis and oppose the present government for not implementing Shariah in the country. They said that they would come back to Lal Masjid if the situation normalised. APP adds: Qari Liaquat Ali, who arrived from Battagram for her daughter Raheela, said he had earlier tried to take her back but the administration was adamant and refused. He termed government action ‘right and prompt’ and said government deserves credit as it exercised a lot of restraint. Najma Bibi, mother of a 17-year-old daughter from Khana Pul, said that her daughter has been studying in the seminary for the last two years. She sent her daughter for getting education only and never imagined that such tense situation would emerge. Mohammad Ajab from Murree, who was waiting for her daughter, said, “we are against extremist policies of the Lal Masjid administration”. He said Jihad is the greatest degree of Islamic teachings and only well-learned religious scholars can define it. 17-year old Raheela Bibi from Swat said the female students were forced to stay inside and were used as shields. “I have come here for religious education but the brand of Islam propagated by the administration was horrendous,” she added. REFERENCE: Students happy to leave Lal Masjid Thursday, July 05, 2007 http://www.thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=63245&Cat=6&dt=7/5/2007
Environment Ministry building, vehicles set on fire Sohail Khan Wednesday, July 04, 2007 ISLAMABAD The Taliban of Lal Masid after a fierce gun battle with the law-enforcing agencies on Tuesday set the building of Ministry of Environment on fire causing loss of millions of rupees to the national exchequer. Valuable vehicles of the high officials of the ministry were burnt while vehicles parked outside building were severely damaged due to the flames that engulfed the whole building, burning all the record of the ministry as well as destroying equipments. “Record of ambitious projects planned by the ministry under Public Sector Development Projects (PSDP) as well as details of foreign-funded projects have been destroyed in the renovated building,” Federal Minister for Environment Makhdoom Syed Faisal Saleh Hayat told The News. He alleged that he had repeatedly sent about 40 to 45 letters to the local administration for providing security to the building, which is situated near Lal Masjid, but the authorities failed to provide it. If the local administration had provided foolproof security, the incident could not have happened, he added. The minister vehemently contradicted reports that the ministry was ordered to vacate the premises the other day for deployment of Rangers, saying that not a single order was issued either to him or other officials of the ministry in this regard. Meanwhile, the ministry officials said that vehicles of high officials including the secretary, joint secretary, additional secretary and others which were parked inside the building were burnt into ashes. The students first resorted to pelt stones at the windowpanes and later sneaked into the premises after breaking the walls at the backside and then set the whole building on fire. “It was a terrible moment when I came out from my office after breaking the room window when the students of the Jamia Hafsa, carrying sticks entered the building premises,” said an official. In the meantime, the whole staff came out of their sections and succeeded in leaving the building, the official added. The official said personnel of fire brigade reached the spot to extinguish the fire, however, the students did not allow them to do their job. The Ministry of Environment is located 50 yards away from Lal Masjid. An employee of the ministry told The News that the government had ordered the staff of the ministry the other day to vacate the building at around 3 pm, however, on Tuesday, the staff was allowed resume their work and the whole staff was present. “We escaped from the clutches of death and I don’t know how we managed to flee the building,” said Shumiala, Assistant Director, Information, NCS Resource Centre. Talking to the News, she said that the whole record of the ministry is burnt. REFERENCE: Environment Ministry building, vehicles set on fire Sohail Khan Wednesday, July 04, 2007 http://www.thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=8819&Cat=13&dt=7/4/2007
Parents throng surroundings in search of children Ahmad Noorani Wednesday, July 04, 2007 : ISLAMABAD: A number of worried people whose children have been studying at Lal Masjid assembled in areas around the mosque and at hospitals on Tuesday, in an attempt to access their children as firing between the Lal Masjid brigade and the law-enforcement agencies continued. The parents said their children were inside the mosque and they wanted to take them home. The urged the government to let them get their children out of the mosque and then think about the operation. When asked why they did not get their children home earlier, some of the parents answered that they felt satisfied with the repeated statements of the government that the problem would be resolved through peaceful means. A few parents said that whenever they contacted the Lal Masjid administration in this regard, the administration replied that there was no problem and the government was just trying to pressurise them through the media. “When we told the administration of the Lal Masjid that we wanted to take our children back, the administration used delaying tactics.”
Jamil Khatak, the father of three students in Lal Masjid, said he did not know his children’s whereabouts. “I donít know if they are alive,” a visibly terrified Jamil said. When Jamil was asked why he had got his children admitted to the Lal Masjid, he said that he was a poor man and could not afford any expensive school. Another man, Imtiaz Ali, whose daughter was a student at the Jamia Hafsa, said that he was anxious about his daughter’s security. When this scribe asked him why he did not take his daughter back home earlier, he said that he did not want to take his daughter back home because he was satisfied with the Madrassah education. REFERENCE: Parents throng surroundings in search of children Ahmad Noorani Wednesday, July 04, 2007 http://www.thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=8821&Cat=13&dt=7/4/2007
Tuesday, July 10, 2007 BEIJING: China on Monday condemned the killings of three Chinese workers in Peshawar and called on Pakistani authorities to do more to protect its citizens living in the country. A statement quoting Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang released to Xinhua called on Pakistan to "mete out severe punishment to the criminals" responsible. "China has asked the Pakistani side to provide medical treatment to the wounded man and help repatriate the bodies of the dead." China's Ambassador to Pakistan Luo Zhaohui released another statement that also called for a quick investigation into Sunday night's attack. Luo "condemned the violent incident," according to China's official Xinhua news agency. In the statement, Luo told Pakistan "to investigate it (the attack), round up the culprits, properly handle the follow-up issues and take effective measures to protect all the Chinese in Pakistan," according to Xinhua. Luo said the deputy chief of the Chinese embassy in Pakistan, Mao Siwei, was leading a team of Chinese diplomats, who had travelled to Peshawar to "deal with the issue." Mao on Monday here held a meeting with the city police chief Abdul Majeed Marwat and received the latest update regarding the triple murder case. He was informed that a high-level investigating team was probing the incident and the culprits would be brought to book shortly. Later, the Chinese diplomat visited the mortuary of the Khyber Medical College, where the bodies of the slain Chinese nationals are lying for autopsy. He also met with other senior police officials and doctors. REFERENCE: Beijing asks Islamabad to do more to protect Chinese Tuesday, July 10, 2007 http://www.thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=63838&Cat=2&dt=7/10/2007
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