2007 tragedy comes back haunting
Maulana Abdul Aziz—AP Photo
ISLAMABAD: Memories of the bloody 2007 operation in Lal Masjid would come back haunting on Friday when the Supreme Court resumes hearing a contempt petition filed in 2008 against non-implementation of the court’s orders.
Dawn has learnt the Islamabad police would submit to the court that their records show no woman died in the bloody showdown between the state and the militants inside the mosque complex, whereas the Crisis Management Cell in the Interior Ministry had at that time said the mother of the mosque’s imam, Maulana Abdul Aziz, was among the more than 100 people killed in the tragedy.
Police sources said that in all 102 people were killed – 10 army men, one Ranger officer, three civilian while remaining 88 were those who fought against the state.
Advocate Tariq Asad, who had filed the contempt charge against the state over the operation, told Dawn that notices were issued early this month to the respondents to report the implementation of its 2007 orders and progress on the remaining unsolved issues, he said.
Police sources said the force reopened their entire record on the operation and consulted its officers connected with the operation to get a clue of the mother, but in vain. Neither the autopsies done on the bodies nor the DNA test reports available with the Islamabad administration mentioned a female victim among the dead.
Among the 88 bodies recovered from the mosque complex, 14 were burnt beyond recognition. Doctors however could determine gender of the charred bodies and their tests too suggested that all were male. What burnt them alive was not mentioned.
Islamabad police did not even know whether or not the mother of Maulana Abdul Aziz and his brother Maulana Abdul Rashid Ghazi, who died in the operation, was inside during the operation.
Intelligence agencies approached by the police in this connection cited an unconfirmed report that she died a natural death and was buried in Rajanpur where her son Abdul Rasheed too was buried, the sources said.
More than 500 students and teacher of Jamia Hafsa were stranded inside when the military operation began on July 3 but they were offered safe passage and their last group came out on July 5. It included Maulana Abdul Aziz and his wife Ummay Hasan who headed the Jamia Hafsa. The girls seminary was subsequently razed to ground.
On a private petition moved by some citizens aggrieved by the bloody events, the Supreme Court ordered in October 2007 that the police verify the antecedents of “all those innocently killed” in the incident for the federal government to pay compensation to their legal heirs in the form of Diyat (blood money) “subject to the law and necessary verification of the genuineness of the legal heirs in each case”, rebuild Jamia Hafsa and make alternative arrangement for the education of its students in the meantime and trace out persons reportedly went missing in the operation.
At Friday’s hearing, the police would submit a report about the mother of Maulana Abdul Aziz to the Supreme Court, which has also summoned the interior ministry, CDA and city administration to inquire about the implementation of it orders issued in 2007.A senior police officer said the police had already submitted reports about verification of students of the Jamia Hafsa, four missing persons. However, the fate of mother of Abdul Aziz and the charge of desecration of Quran during the operation remained unverified, he said.
From the comments it is so clear that political religion, when it is used to control lives and invade the privacy of individuals is the root of evil. One need not like any particular religion but we should all respect the right of others to practise their religion as long as it does not interfere with the rights of others. If I am able to read a text considered holy and use the knowledge to lead a clean life, why should some cleric of my religion order me otherwise. Who gives these clerics the right to come between me and my deity?
ALLAH TAALAA KNOWS BETTER.MAY ALLAH BLESS OUR SWEET COUNTRY.
Why are Pakistanis are at war with each other all the time.
Was Pakistan not suppose to be a place where all Indian Muslims would live happily together.
Kon khetha hai k mur Jaon ga/ me tu abdul aziz hoon burkay may nikal jaon ga
The actual and foremost regret is the Shahadat of Masjid and Madrassa – Allah's House (Allah ka Ghar) where 1000s of people used to recite Holy Quran and offer prayers for the last 40 years. How can one point a gun towards the House of Allah especially in the Islamic Republic? and how much people come to protect it?. Dear brothers and sisters, Please stop judging who was right and who was wrong through your philosophical way as this is not your core responsibility.
I would like all of you to prepare your answers in a philosophical way for the questions of Almighty Allah.!!!!!
Thank you Allah that you have not constructed Masjid ul Haram and Masjil Nabvi (PBUH) here in Pakistan.
Moulana Abdul Aziz appears in this picture like a Gangster with his armed gang. Musharaf took the right action when he used force to crush this armed gang which mostly consisted of Talibans and other foreign terrorists.
I believe Religious parties should be ban from taking part in Politics, they should only be guiding us in religious matters.
when will the silly mullahs and AWAM learn there is no complusion in religion,. At least in Bangla Desh
they have banned all books of Mahudadian Philosophy they are better off religiously than Pakistn even hope to be , remember it starts with your self!
Turkey and indonesia are muslim countries, but they have religious freedom. why are other religions discriminated in Pakistan?
It is unfortunate that none of the readers or the commentators have really understood the dynamics of the operation. The clerics of the Lal Masjid were in challenging the state but the dictator Musharaf was totally wrong the way handled the entire situation – it should have been resolved peacefully. The dictator Musharaf should be brought to trial for murder – that would be right thing to do – we will do that when the last vestiges of Musharaf regime are swept away during the next election – the PPP is the lingering testimony of Mr Musharaf.
It was the fault of the government.
If they were occupying illegal land then why was this issue not raised earlier? and did they deserve all this even if they were occupying illegal land?
Prostitution is against the laws of Pakistan, why did'nt the government stop the prostitution ring of anty shamim even after repeated complaints?
Where ever there are prostitutes, there are also drugs, do we want our sons to be drug addicts and frequent visitors of brothels?
Can we all stop saying whether this was a punishment or whatsoever!!!!
Who are we to judge?? we are just a bunch of puppets known as AWAM, to the Criminals and Greedy POLITICIANS!
We don't even know,was it all planned?
So many things are going on under-covered!
Only God knows who was right and…who was wrong…
.Lal Masjid operation was absolutely justified…who is killing the innocent Shias and Hazaraz?…the people from the same bloody sect of miscreants who has held the capital hostage in 2007….there is a strong need for Pakistan to declare itself a secular state if it wants to survive…
They should have been taken care off within the first week of this mess. By prolonging the affair they got more news. Islam is a religion of " No Complusion ". Each and every one living should be allowed to live his or her life according to what they believe in. The only thing that one is not allowed is to break the law of the land. Anyone who breaks the law should be dealt with with FULL force of the LAW.
Burqa posh molana and his gang are terrorists. Islam is a religion of peace not of violence. Islam strictly forbids killing innocent people of all religions. Prophet (PBUH) is rehmat ul lil aalameen, kindness for the whole universe.
Allah's Punishment. Since that day, there hasn't been a day of peace
Yes Pakistan was a beacon of peace and prosperity before that
Anyone who raises weapons against the government and challenges the writ of Government is the enemy of the state. This so called Muilla God punish him for his evil deeds, mind washing youngsters for what so they can kill our own people In the name of Islam shame on people who support these kind of people. Islam teaches us patience humbleness kindness generosity love and respect Prophet (p.b.u.h) never hurt no one rather he prayed for his enemies to show them right path and top most forgave them all thats why Islam spread so fast not because some muullah telling his followers to take law in their hands and lead them to their death.
This is very interesting to read the comments, but I have no opinion. I am trying to understand and learn. The contributors are very outspoken here.
I think the people of Lal Masjid got what they deserved! They were armed, they killed and they terrorized innocent people, they were a lawless element! No mosque or house of God can be turned into an armed camp like they did! It is because of these people that Pakistan is suffering!
Please keep fighting over whose religion is cool. Meanwhile, we continue to build our economy more strong. Best wishes to ISI and Taliban, the true friends of India, who made sure that Pakistan remain backward, untrustworthy and hated in rest of the world.
very true…