Red Mosque Again Under Extremist Threats – Lal Masjid Issue Updates

lal masjid issue

Islamabad: LAL MASJID Ex Khateeb Maulana Abdul Aziz who was toppled down by Gen Musharraf’s government has again sieged the Lal Masjid and is continuously testing the government’s nerves by claiming to be its prayer leader. Lal Masjid again came in the spotlight when Maulana Abdul Aziz with around 200 female students entered the mosque around 3 weeks ago and reiterated his claim to being the prayer leader of the masjid.

Maulana Abdul Aziz cashed in Islamabad Capital Territory administration (ICT) recklessness towards appointing the new khateeb of the state-owned mosque after the khateeb Amir Siddique was transferred almost two months ago. According to the sources, there was no khateeb or naib khateeb for 2 months in the masjid.

Maulana Abdul Aziz has cordoned himself and female students on the premises of Lal Masjid. The situation became grievous when around 200 students of Jamia Hafsa G-7 broke into the sealed building of Jamia Hafsa adjacent to Lal Masjid. Officers from Islamabad Capital Territory administration (ICT) came to negotiate with Maulana Aziz but their negotiations attempt were simply turned down by saying that any senior officer having the rank equivalent to that of a minister should come and talk to him.

According to the authorities, Maulana Abdul Aziz and his students are refusing to leave the premises of Lal Masjid until and unless Maulana Abdul Aziz is again reinstated as the prayer leader of Lal masjid.

According to the media news, Maulana Abdul Aziz also demands that Islamabad Capital Territory Administration (ICT) allot the old site of Jamia Hafsa and old children’s library plot adjacent to Lal masjid for the construction of Jamia Hafsa and also that a sum of Rs 250 million be paid for the construction of Jamia Hafsa.

Maulana Abdul Aziz is not accepting any alternative site for the construction of Jamia Hafsa. Maulana says that first space was allotted in H-11 but now the government is saying that allotment has been canceled by the supreme court of Pakistan, he asks that how is this possible?

The area surrounding Lal Masjid has been barricaded and no one is being allowed to enter the mosque. Maulana says that no food items are being allowed inside by the authorities. On the other hand, the authorities say that food items are being allowed inside only if someone from inside the mosque takes the delivery, as this is necessary so that no one takes weapons inside the mosque.

On Friday, the authorities allowed people to go inside and offer Jumma prayer. All the people had to deposit their CNIC’s to the police outside the barricades and must come back and take them back after the prayer. Maulana Abdul Aziz as always gave a fiery sermon with extreme views on Friday.

According to Hafiz Ehtesham, who is an old confidant of Maulana Abdul Aziz, said that the son of Abdul Rasheed Ghazi, Haroon Rasheed instigated the clash, despite the warnings of Hafiz Ehtesham, who is the spokesman of the Lal Masjid’s Shuhada Foundation, that this move will make things difficult with the authorities and a harsh stance will be taken by the authorities. Maulana Abdul Aziz still entered the mosque and started being the prayer leader without any inkling of the authorities.

This is not the first that Maulana Abdul Aziz has tried to take over the mosque and reclaim his old position, defying repeated warnings of the authorities.

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Umer Atiq
IT Consultant and business analyst. Keeps an interest in the affair that impact business or society.