Islamabad: Fifteen years after a bloody military crackdown on it, the renowned Lal Masjid in Pakistan’s capital Islamabad once again appears to be becoming a reason for a confrontation between hardline Islamists and the establishment.
The memories of the armed confrontation of July 2007 following Army raid order by the then military ruler General Pervez Musharraf have been re-ignited after a clash during an abortive bid by the police to arrest Maulana Abdul Aziz, the erstwhile chief priest of the mosque, yesterday.
The cleric gave a slip to the team of Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) as hundreds of his supporters, mostly female students of an Islamic seminary Jamia Hafsa located within the Lal Masjid compound, engaged the police personnel in physical fights.
There was also an exchange of fire between Maulana Aziz and his supporters and the CTD personnel. The police today booked him and his supporters for attempt to murder and terrorism, besides possessing illegal arms.
Amidst rising tensions related to the issue, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) today declared solidarity with Maulana Aziz and warned the security establishment of “severe consequences” if they try to harm the cleric, his family or the Lal Masjid.
“Yesterday, on June 21, 2023, while returning from Lal Masjid, Hazrat Maulana Muhammad Abdul Aziz Ghazi Hufzullah was attacked by CTD personnel, in which Maulana Sahib was injured but survived by the grace of Allah. Maulana Sahib’s two guards were arrested,” TTP spokesman Muhammad Khurasani said.
In a statement, Khurasani said the Pakistan Army and agencies attacked the Maulana directly and “tried to kill him or arrest him” after they failed to “stop Maulana Sahib from speaking the truth despite all restrictions on Lal Masjid and Jamia Hafsa.”
He said prior to yesterday’s action, CTD had on April 14 raided the Maulana’s house in Jamia Sayeda Hafsa, Islamabad, and tried to arrest him and his stepson.
“We warn CTD, Army and agency that severe reaction will be given in case any harm comes to Lal Masjid and Jamia Hafsa and Hazrat Maulana Muhammad Abdul Aziz Ghazi Hizullah and his family,” the TTP spokesman said.
The Lal Masjid, located in the heart of Islamabad, has earlier been a venue of a bloody military confrontation between the Pakistan Army and hardline Islamists in July 2007, in which 154 people, including security forces, were killed, according to official figures.
Musharraf had ordered the military crackdown on the Mosque complex, believing that the premises under the leadership of Maulana Aziz and his brother Maulana Abdul Rashid was being used to harbour terrorists, kidnappers and arsonists.
After storming Lal Masjid on July 11, 2007 and the ensuing military confrontation, the Army took control of the complex, an action that triggered a huge backlash from the Islamists, particularly the TTP which unleashed deadly attacks across Pakistan for months, targeting the security forces.
Maulana Aziz, the former ‘Khatib’ (a Cleric who delivers religious speeches) of Lal Masjid, was then banned by the government authorities from giving any speeches in the Mosque.
However, defying that ban, Maulana Aziz yesterday led the prayers at the Mosque.
As soon as he came out of the mosque later, the police tried to arrest him.
There was a scuffle and reportedly exchange of gunfire as the Maulana and his guards resisted the police.
Simultaneously, hundreds of female students of the Jamia Hafsa seminary rushed to confront the police personnel and prevent them from arresting the Maulana.
The police yesterday wanted to arrest Maulana Aziz for his defiance of the ban, which comes amidst reports that he was trying to re-establish his control over the Mosque.
After yesterday’s incident, Maulana Aziz released his video statement on social media, saying the authorities came to arrest him as soon as he left Lal Masjid after leading the ‘Zuhr’ prayers (4th prayer of the day).
He said he was chased by two vehicles of CTD, his car was stopped and several police personnel came out to arrest him.
“They (Police personnel) fired at us… I was injured. You can see my car,” he is heard saying and showing the vehicle with bullet holes on the windscreen.
“My gun did not fire… I was injured but by the grace of God, I snatched the gun of an officer and started firing,” he says.
“Meanwhile, a large number of people gathered, which gave me a chance to escape. Despite being injured, I managed to reach Jamia Hafsa.”
Later, in a video message, his wife Umme Hassan said that Maulana Aziz exchanged fire with the CTD personnel but he was pinned down by the CTD personnel when the bullets in his AK-47 ended.
She added that he managed to avoid arrest and reached Jamia Hafsa with the help of locals.
She also made an appeal to TTP not to remain silent on the issue.
