Musharraf rearrested over Lal Masjid operation

E-Paper | July 18, 2026

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s former military ruler General (retd) Pervez Musharraf was rearrested in Lal Masjid (Red Mosque) killing case hours after submitting surety bonds in the Supreme Court on Thursday.

The rearrest came after he had been granted bail in three other cases and his lawyer said on Wednesday he was cleared to leave the country.

Assassination of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, death of Baloch nationalist leader Nawab Akbar Bugti and detention of deposed Supreme Court judges were the other three major cases registered against the former military strongman.

“We have put General Musharraf under house arrest in a case involving a military operation on an Islamabad mosque,” Muhammad Rizwan, a senior official of the Islamabad police told reporters.

“We will present him before a court on Friday,” Rizwan added, after visiting Musharraf's plush villa at the edge of Islamabad, which has been declared a sub jail.

A complaint against Musharraf in the Lal Masjid case was registered last month on the orders of a judge.

On Wednesday, Musharraf was granted bail in the case of the death of Baloch nationalist leader Nawab Akbar Bugti after the apex court granted his appeal against rejection of a similar plea by the Balochistan High Court.

The apex court had asked the former army strongman to submit two surety bonds of Rs 1 million each to the Supreme Court Registrar.

A spokesman of Musharraf’s All Pakistan Muslim League (APML) party confirmed the arrest saying they will now apply for bail in the latest case.

“Yes, Police have officially arrested General Musharraf and put him under house arrest. We will file his bail application soon,” Muhammad Amjad, secretary general of the APML told AFP.

The Lal Masjid operation was a 2007 government crackdown on the controversial pro-Taliban mosque in Islamabad, which ended in a bloody eight-day siege killing at least 58 Pakistani troops and seminary students.

The operation followed a week-long standoff between the mosque's supporters and security forces.

A number of witnesses in their statements had alleged that Musharraf, then president of Pakistan, was responsible for the action.

Musharraf was forced out of office after trying and failing to fire the country's chief justice. The former president and head of the army went into exile in 2008 but returned earlier this year in an abortive attempt to launch a political career – Reuters/AFP/Dawn.com

Pakistan

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Qaiser Bakhtiari

Oct 10, 2013 08:24pm

Lal Masjid operation was perhaps the best thing Musharaf did for Pakistan. Yes please arrest him for that so that never again these terrorists be stopped from conducting their businesses.

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imran

Oct 10, 2013 08:25pm

How can we be so stupid long live Mush We r too stupid to have you

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pathanoo

Oct 10, 2013 08:25pm

And, the DRAMA goes on!!! By The Way, when is the mid-night flight to Abu Dhabi set for?

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Oct 10, 2013 08:26pm

I just do not understand what is going on here. Gen Musharraf just fought against terrorists in Lal Masjid operation. He should be regarded as hero unlike other politicians and army chief who are not doing anything to fight against terrorism

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Mukesh

Oct 10, 2013 08:27pm

Musharraf ji - Politicians are a very different breed, you will not be able to fit into politics. Please settle abroad and live a peaceful life.

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Basir

Oct 10, 2013 08:32pm

What would any sane goverment, anywhere in the world, do in a lal Masjid like situation??

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BKH

Oct 10, 2013 08:35pm

Pakistan has gone bonkers Red Mosque action was a police matter to deal with militants. It was like Waco siege in USA. Essential to maintain law & order in Islamabad. Good for the police. Police action was right.

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Max

Oct 10, 2013 08:42pm

Dawn is clearly anti Musharraf and pro current government.

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fus

Oct 10, 2013 08:38pm

This country deserves to be overrun by mullahs and maulvis that had takenover Laal masjid. Instead of arresting the people who created the menace and tookover the masjid we are arresting the only person who has guts to take on these terrorist. Inshallah time will prove , infact it is already proving that he was better then all the current lof of politicians. Not a single corruption case.

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Syed Haider

Oct 10, 2013 08:47pm

The one SANE person in Pakistan gets arrested for doing the SANE thing. It's a pity to see that in Pakistan, you can be arrested for stopping terrorists. If anything I disagreed with Musharaff's delay, since he really did try to prevent this. A one week standpoint was more than enough time to surrender. A pity, and shame. I hate admitting it, as Pakistan is my birth country, Pakistan only has a few years left in its existence. Unless a moderate military leader comes (not a Zia) I would be surprised if this country lasted over a decade.

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muhammad

Oct 10, 2013 08:55pm

This is totally a mockery of law a former head of state has been arrested on the complaint of a son of outlaw / terrorist who challenged the writ of government and was televised live by the electronic media if it is made precedent then no Government will take any step to save the lives of its innocent citizens and in one TV program Mr. Mushahidullah the spokesman of PML N even hinted towards this while referring Lal Masjid episode when asked when Government will take action against terrorists

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muhammad

Oct 10, 2013 09:00pm

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adnan

Oct 10, 2013 09:05pm

WOW.. a person who operated against the thugs and teh menace of the society is arrested while teh thug mulla himslef is roaming freely... we still ask for reasons why our nation and country is in such a mess????

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M Saleem Chaudhry

Oct 10, 2013 09:05pm

Musharaf must be now realizing how unwise it was on his part to come back to Pakistan to regain power through ballot, as his stooges assured him that it'll be an easy feat for him with out understanding change in ground realities. I had predicted in my comments in different media that Musharaf will rue the day when he decided to return to try his luck.

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expaki

Oct 10, 2013 09:09pm

***Long live Musharaf Sahib, for standing like a MAN, and not try escaping in BURQA. That MAKES you a man, my HERO and not an COWARD.***

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syed baqar ahsan

Oct 10, 2013 09:35pm

Well played drama at lal masjid was gimmick of media and the planted ones- Musharraf could not identity the snake up in his sleeve.

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NASR

Oct 10, 2013 09:30pm

What a pity. Talibans are fighting too between themselves. What is their real message? Just to do killing wherever it is possible.

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shaukat

Oct 10, 2013 09:43pm

When you were ruler we call you president, now we call you ex-dictator don't worry you are a soldier who knows how to fight, keep fighting these are the dues you have to pay once you clear it, you will be in good shape.

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Amjad Wyne

Oct 10, 2013 09:53pm

Horrible to say the least. Why not punish Aziz and company for converting a mosque into a weapons and ammunition dump? What about the lives of law enforcement officials that lost their lives as a result of these weapons?

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M. Omar

Oct 10, 2013 09:51pm

Last time I checked sedition was punishable by death...the so called martyrs of Lal Masjid raised arms against the Government of Pakistan. They were armed to teeth...why do you need guns and ammunition in a Mosque. They rightly got what they deserved.

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unbelievable

Oct 10, 2013 09:52pm

Holding the countries leader responsible for unintended death during operation to remove religious extremism seems an overstretch. It would seem that religious conservatives still have sufficient power to bend the judiciary to their will. Pakistan should either put Musharraf on trial or let him walk - this endless "bail" fiasco is an embarrassment.

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Syed

Oct 10, 2013 10:01pm

The present rulers are digging grave for themselves and future rulers in Pakistan. How can a government work if heads of states are indicted in cases like Akbar Bukti, Benazir assassination and Lal Masjid.

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Rafi

Oct 10, 2013 09:59pm

Musharraf's rearrest may have excited some people, but come Friday and he will get the bail in Lal Masjid case and leave the country. Great game, isn't it? Bravo Sharifain!

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Fazal Karim

Oct 10, 2013 10:06pm

A mockery of judicial system in Pakistan.

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Dani

Oct 10, 2013 10:30pm

I am not a fan of Musharraf but Pakistan prosecute's a person who killed terrorists but not the terrorists themselves. Good going!! The world is passing by us and we are heading towards the stone age. It's a shame that "Nawaz" is the best we can do as a nation.

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Muhammad Ahmed Mufti

Oct 10, 2013 10:54pm

So let's try to make sense out of this, the terrorist molvi was granted bail by the courts but the person trying to withhold the law was booked. This can only happen in Pakistan.

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Syed Ahmed

Oct 11, 2013 12:19am

This is Munawar Sharif's adlat and vengeance against Pakistan Army. Maulana Azis who was the main culprit, established parallel government and judiciary that called for military action was freed unconditionally.

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Irshad Khan

Oct 11, 2013 01:28am

Today Musharaf is arrested for Lal Masjid incident, what about our 22 Army personal who were killed by the terrorists hiding in Lal Masjid, Are we holding anyone esponsible for their killings. lots of children lost their fathers who were fighting for the country while the leader of Lal Masid terrorists gang Molana Abdul rashid is walking free. ???????

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Shaikh Mohommd

Oct 11, 2013 02:21am

Good News. The person who usurped power and made Pakistan a slave of America should be given full justice.

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Naeem Syed

Oct 11, 2013 02:58am

How stupid are we? This extremist factions who were flaunting the writ of the Government had to be put down. Can some one explain why there was resistance from the occupants of the Lal Masjid and how well trained terrorists were they that It took the best Soldiers in Pakistan how many days to quell. He should be lauded for that instead of being unjustly punished. this is just Payback from the Judiciary.

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DR Qureshi

Oct 11, 2013 03:25am

Unbelievably stupid act by the authorities. Ignorant Pakistani qom deserves the leaders they currently have at the helm.

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Haider Raza

Oct 11, 2013 05:37am

Please media people don't do this to Pakistan. The real hero of Pakistan Pervaiz Musharraf is being treated as a criminal while real criminals who are known to be top frauds are promoted as hero and they were given permission to enter elections and after using their bogus vote techniques they won the election. Please show true faces of people to Pakistanis, let them know who is good and who is bad for them in reality. Iftikhar Chaudhry and Nawaz Sherif are busy taking revenge from Musharraf. They don't open their own family member cases and Talibans are freely killing people of Pakistan and they are just showing that they are scared and Talibans are real power so that Americans can easily prepare to attack us mentioning that our nuclear weapons are not safe (as they did in Iraq and Syria) because our government has accepted Taliban a superior enemy already. This is a big game. Please save Pakistan. Help Musharraf Help Pakistan. He is only leader who can lead us to a better and secure Pakistan.

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danish

Oct 11, 2013 05:57am

What nonsense. Pakistani judiciary is a joke. We are with you Musharraf. You are a true soldier!!!

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Hassan

Oct 11, 2013 06:10am

We are definitely one of the strangest country in the world with one of the most strangest judiciary in the world where criminals are allowed to move the court against patriotic leaders.....we have become a laughing stoke for the world... we have three stooges in our country.... the so called elected government, the so called independent judiciary and so called independent media... all three damaging the country and the people of Pakistan....

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Shankar

Oct 11, 2013 06:19am

Not sure what a ruler of a country is supposed to do when a bunch of lunatics try to destabilize the country from their sanctuary in a place of worship! Give into their demand for ransom or flush them out and establish the rule of the law! Does the judiciary consider fighting religious extremists a fight against the religion?

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marium

Oct 11, 2013 08:29am

We as a nation are shameless with short term memories. We've clearly forgotten the havoc created by the lal masjid clerics and their minions. Kudos to the judge who ordered Mr. Musharraf's arrest. I cant wait for when the fanatics come after you.

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shab

Oct 11, 2013 08:31am

The only way Pakistan will progress if we eliminate all mullahs like musharaf did with lal masjid terrorist.

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immortal_soloist

Oct 11, 2013 02:18pm

Taking actions against real terrorists such as the ones in LAL Masjid,who challenged the writ of the state and create havoc against the country have a right to get a leader like Pervez Musharraf arrested. Shame on Pakistan's Judiciary and shame on the people for not knowing their facts and sympathising with terrorists. Pervez Musharraf will get out of this fake and politicised case Inshallah!

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Uroos

Oct 11, 2013 09:16pm

Hero does not escape, he has to be brave and fight with the enemies and defeat them, therefore, call him hero.

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Syed Zilani Basha

Oct 11, 2013 10:24pm

Nothing but revenge - Why he only arrested in the Lal Masjid case?

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shaukat

Oct 12, 2013 03:11am

@Mukesh: how can he be in peace if his mother land is in trouble, let him do his job to save the country from wolves eating the country.

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Rizwan Ashfaq

Oct 12, 2013 07:04pm

Wow only in Pakistan , Don,t catch the terroists , catch the law abiding officers trying to stop them. This really will increase the morals and confidence of any officers placed to stop such fanatic activities in the future.

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Imran B

Oct 12, 2013 09:54pm

Why is this embarrassment of an extremist group (Lal Masjid goons) being given any hearing from our courts and police. Unbelievable that religious fanaticism has become legitimate part of society in this land of the massively confused. A leader of Musharraf's caliber is the only honest alternate to the so called democratic mass of current confused (nincompoops) politicians. We need a Kamal Ataturk like strong (military background) leader to wipe out the 'mullah' and 'islam toting' fakes from our society, now. General Musharraf has learned from his past and would be the best person now to lead us out this mess again (remember 1999 PML-N situation).

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Ghalib Khan

Oct 13, 2013 11:33am

@Irshad Khan: Well the real culprits of Lal masjid are of-course are already set free so they can spread terror in this country. And the Only leader who the the will and courage to fight these terrorist is being is being charged for terrorism.

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