ISLAMABAD, Dec 22: Talks between the local administration and the management of Lal Masjid on Thursday failed after which the latter stuck to its decision to rebuild its women seminary, Jamia Hafsa, at its previous location.

Soon after the development, the management of the mosque sent invitations to the media and all 'Momineen' (the faithful) to attend the foundation-laying ceremony of the seminary that was razed after the military operation in 2007.

According to the announcement that was first made last Friday by the cleric of Lal Majid Maulana Abdul Aziz, the building for the seminary would be reconstructed and its foundation stone would be laid after Friday prayers.

When contacted, Chief Commissioner Islamabad Tariq Mehmood Pirzada was, however, confident that the local administration would convince the mosque management not to reconstruct the seminary at its previous site.

“I have tasked the deputy commissioner Islamabad to continue negotiations with Lal Masjid people and I hope that the issue will be settled amicably,” he added.

The invitation sent out by the mosque management said: “All faithful are requested to generously donate for the reconstruction of Jamia Hafsa and attend the foundation stone-laying ceremony to express solidarity with Maulana Abdul Aziz.”

Although the mosque's management has decided to disobey the local administration, which promised provision of alternative land for the seminary, no confrontation or resistance is expected from the local administration on the occasion of the foundation-laying ceremony.

On the other hand, the management of Lal Masjid claimed that they were rebuilding the seminary on the orders of Supreme Court.

Sources in the local administration said the clerics had reestablished Jamia Hafsa in tents pitched at the same site in August 2008 and resumed classes. But the tents were removed voluntarily by the mosque's committee after it was assured that an alternative plot would be provided for construction of the seminary. However, even after passage of over four years no land has so far been allocated.

Many people are of the view that Jamia Hafsa should not be rebuilt at its previous site because it will keep reminding the residents of the bloody operation.

The local administration and Capital Development Authority (CDA) believed that Jamia Hasfa was constructed in the late '90s on the plot allocated for a public library.

“The plot was given to the education ministry and it is still the property of the ministry,” said a senior official of the CDA on the condition of anonymity.

During the 2007 military operation, a public library located between Lal Masjid and Jamia Hafsa was also demolished. Another official of the CDA said a 250 square-yard plot was allocated for the construction of Lal Masjid but with the passage of time the mosque expanded to a vast land that also housed Jamia Hafsa.

When contacted, CDA spokesman Ramzan Sajid said the issue was being dealt with by the local administration, not the civic agency.