BREAKING NEWS: LAL MASJID

[Adux]

We Indians will always give our "moral" support for the cause of Balochi and Paktoon freedom

lol

Work out you difference dude, any country breaking up even by an inch is a sad sight

 

[irfan1173]

Goverment is the one that armed and trained these people to fight its proxy wars with india and afghanistan, now they have turned on the people that organised them. What goes around comes around and it did come around, and the goverment has crushed the militants which it used to kill others in the name of islam.

AoA
Unfortunately very true. Time for army to rethink its strategy of using pakistani's as cannon fodder in kashmir or Afghanistan. Nothing happened when ordinary pakistani's were being troubled by lal masjid.The moment the chinese were kidnapped the govt went into action. Shows how much a life of ordinary people are worth in Pakistan. I am glad the operation is over and pray to allah there wont be any repurcussions.

 

[Adux]

 

[Adux]

A handout photograph released by Inter Services Public Relations shows Pakistani commandos who died in 'operaton silence' on Islamabad's Red Mosque, 11 July 2007. Pakistani commandos eradicated the last pockets of resistance by militants and secured Islamabad's Red Mosque and adjoining madrassa seminary on Wednesday after heavy fighting that claimed scores of lives. EPA/ISPR / HANDOUT

 

[Cheetah786]

.

Pakistani religious students of Islamabad's radical Red mosque arrive at sports complex from a jail in Islamabad, Pakistan, Wednesday, July 11, 2007. Pakistani commandos cleared the warren-like Red Mosque complex of all die-hard defenders Wednesday, ending a fierce eight-day siege and street battles which left more than 80 dead. (AP Photo/K.M.Chaudary)

these are students well then i guess iam still in kindergarden.

 

[Cheetah786]

AoA
Unfortunately very true. Time for army to rethink its strategy of using pakistani's as cannon fodder in kashmir or Afghanistan. Nothing happened when ordinary pakistani's were being troubled by lal masjid.The moment the chinese were kidnapped the govt went into action. Shows how much a life of ordinary people are worth in Pakistan. I am glad the operation is over and pray to allah there wont be any repurcussions.

ohhhhhhhh now that there be repercussions we Pakistani should be scared.let me explain to you this way the more these mullahs will terrorize people more hate will come there way.

 

[Neo]

At Least 106 Dead at Pakistan Mosque ​

By SADAQAT JAN

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan - Commandos cleared the warren-like Red Mosque complex of rebel fighters Wednesday, ending a fierce eight-day siege and street battles that left more than 100 dead. The government warned it would not tolerate militancy in any of Pakistan's thousands of religious schools.

Officials found no corpses of women and children, although seven or eight of the bodies had been burned beyond recognition, apparently by the militants' gasoline bombs, said Maj. Gen. Waheed Arshad, a military spokesman.

At least 106 people were killed overall since the violence began at the Red Mosque. They include 10 soldiers, one police ranger and several civilians who died in the crossfire // one word in 2002 of the initial street fighting last week.

The dead included the mosque's pro-Taliban cleric Abdul Rashid Ghazi.

Arshad said 73 bodies believed to be those of the mosque's die-hard defenders were found after the final, 35-hour assault that began early Tuesday.

"There may be a few more which may be found in the debris. We don't expect there will be many," Arshad told Dawn News television. "We have handed them (the bodies) to the civilian authorities."

The elite Special Services Group commandos went in after unsuccessful attempts to get the militants to surrender to the siege mounted by the government following deadly street clashes with armed supporters of the mosque July 3.

The extremists had been using the mosque as a base to send out radicalized students to enforce their version of Islamic morality, including abducting alleged prostitutes and trying to "re-educate" them at the compound in the heart of Pakistan's capital.

Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz warned that the government would act against any other madrassa, or religious school, found to be involved in militancy.

"Militancy cannot be promoted, period," he told reporters. "The law will take its course, as the law took its course here."

President Gen. Pervez Musharraf vowed five years ago to regulate Pakistan's thousands of religious schools, but concerns have only grown that some are used as sanctuaries or training sites for militants _ including Taliban rebels fighting in Afghanistan.

Deputy Information Minister Tariq Azim conceded it was possible that other madrassas in Pakistan could be harboring weaponry like the Red Mosque, but added that the assault had sent a strong message that the government "meant business."

"We need to be now much more vigilant, but I hope they (extremist madrassas) have got the message that if they are in involved in such activities, they will have to face action," he said.

An army officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media, said troops moved from room to room in basements of the compound, blowing up foxholes where militants had been entrenched.

Relatives of young women, men and children who had been in the mosque waited behind army barricades and inquired at morgues or a sports stadium where authorities set up an information center for those seeking missing loved ones.

"I am looking for my son who was studying at the madrassa, but I don't know whether he is alive," said Jan Mohammed, 42, whose son, Mohammed Khan, could not leave the mosque during the siege. He was among about 100 parents who were gathered at the sports stadium.

Ghazi's body was found in the basement of a women's religious school after a fierce gunbattle between government troops and militants, said Brig. Javed Iqbal Cheema, a senior Interior Ministry official.

Several security officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media, said Ghazi was wounded by two bullets and gave no response when ordered to surrender. Commandos then fired another volley and found him dead.

Arshad said Ghazi's body had been handed over to the Interior Ministry.

Cheema said the body was taken for burial in Ghazi's native village of Rojhan in southwestern Pakistan. His brother, Abdul Aziz, the mosque's chief who was arrested trying to escape from the complex last week, would be allowed to attend the funeral.

The military announced that about 1,300 people had escaped or otherwise left the compound since July 3. Authorities took an unknown number into custody, while others, mostly young students, have returned to their homes.

Arshad said the media would be taken on a tour of the mosque complex, but probably not until Thursday.

The casualties at the Red Mosque could further turn public opinion against President Gen. Pervez Musharraf, who already faces a backlash for his bungled attempts to fire the country's chief justice.

Following several fiery anti-government protests Tuesday, about 500 people chanting "Death to Musharraf!" rallied for an hour Wednesday in the northwest frontier city of Peshawar.

"This (mosque attack) is part of our government's action against religious elements to please America," said Shabbir Khan, a lawmaker from an opposition Islamic party, at the demonstration.

About 15 other Islamic opposition lawmakers gathered in front of the Supreme Court in Islamabad, blaming Musharraf for Pakistan's troubles, including the mosque attack, and calling for his resignation.

In neighboring Afghanistan, a senior Taliban commander, Mansoor Dadullah, urged Muslims to launch suicide attacks on Pakistani security forces, calling the assault "a cruel act."

"I would have sent 10,000 mujahedeen to support the (Red Mosque) students but we are busy in Afghanistan and Islamabad is far from Afghanistan. I wished to go myself to support them," he told The Associated Press by telephone.

Several editorials in mainstream newspapers said Musharraf had no choice but to confront the militants.

"The decision to launch the final assault was not an easy one, but given the circumstances there was nothing else that the government could really do," said the English-language paper The News.

But it questioned how the militants had managed to find a haven "inside the heart of Islamabad."

"Surely this is a disturbing indictment of the failure of the law enforcement agencies to keep track of the movement of such elements," it said.

Another English-language daily, Dawn, said that "no tears will be shed over the death of the well-armed militants," praising the government for exercising "utmost restraint" in the standoff.

The State Department endorsed the Musharraf government's decision to storm the mosque, saying that the militants had been given many warnings, and President Bush reaffirmed his confidence in the Pakistani president in the fight against extremists.

http://www.herald-review.com/articles/2007/07/11/ap/headlines/d8qaiito0.txt

 

[Neo]

The crisis is over, lets now focus on the aftermath.

Here are some reaction from The News:

Lal Masjid's aftermath ​

After skirting with catastrophe, much of it self-created, the government deserves some praise for handling the Lal Masjid situation adroitly. As the dust settles over this typically shameful chapter in our history, there is serious need to address the increasingly growing iceberg of fanatical obscurantism and violence that many clerics have made their trademark. Worse than these visible symbols of destruction is the larger compulsive disposition to terror that lies beneath the surface. Unlike the strategy that worked at Lal Masjid, this insidious disease requires concerted efforts of society at large and needs basic human needs and desires to be addressed fairly to save our children from such cruel exploitation by soulless clerics.

I hope the president, the oversized cabinet and the fractious politicians will learn from this near disaster and reflect upon the basic human needs that they need to serve. At the same time, I hope, that the government will, through the courts, seek the maximum punishment possible for the two mullahs who destroyed so many lives.

Prof Wasif M Khan

Lahore

(2)

We have been divided into liberals and conservatives, seculars and fundamentalists. It has been widely believed that Islam is a conservative religion and thanks to our mullahs who have done their job very well to affirm the aforesaid belief in this perspective. Especially the services of the administration of Lal Masjid can never be tolerated.

At the same time westernised liberals are harming the basic fabric of Islam. It will not be unjust to proclaim that Islam is conservative as well as liberal. It is conservative because it provides two primary sources of law to be followed by every Muslim, which are obviously the Holy Quran and Sunnah. It is liberal because it provides secondary sources through ijtihad, ijma, qiyas and istihsan. Lines of default lies where we stick to one point and are not ready to alter our minds. Our scholars are unable to meet the needs of time and they possess no Promethean fire by which they can shake our conscience.

Asim Naseer Manj

Lahore

(3)

July 3 was no doubt the worst day in Islamabad's history when the blood of Muslims was shed in the most unfitting manner. For months the media has been advocating, even calling for an operation against the Lal Masjid administration, and I am sure they would not be proud of the outcome after the incidents of 3 and 4 of July. While the method of the Lal Masjid clerics to achieve their objectives was questionable, it did not give the government the license to kill and the responsibility of the loss of innocent lives rests with the government alone. It is still not clear what the repercussions of the operation against the Lal Masjid would be but I think it is high time we analysed the reasons behind the events, which led to the tragic death of so many people. The masses are fed up with the rhetorical reasons of increasing Talibanisation and the failure of the government to curtail extremism.

The fact remains that while many would disagree with the methodology adopted by the administrators of the Lal Masjid, the masses cannot help but agree with their opinion regarding the spread of vulgar and obscene practices under the context of personal freedom and the demonising of political Islam by the current regime by equating it to Talibanisation or terrorism. If implementing a radical version of Islam is wrong, implementing western ideas of life on a society that rejects them, is also not correct. Balochistan and Waziristan are perfect examples showing that establishing the writ of the government, while ignoring the aspirations of the people would only make the problem worse.

Abdullah Malik

Islamabad

(4)

The Lal Masjid episode is a game designed and implemented jointly by America and our honourable president. With reference to the Pakistani government and America actions towards madrassahs in Waziristan, the situation in Parachinar and what happened in Bajaur agency, we can have no doubt of their intentions. Religious institutions are labelled as training centres for terrorism and attacked.

Seema Qazi

Peshawar

(5)

I appreciate the stance of Nasim Zehra on the so-called issue of Lal Masjid. I consider the Lal Masjid crisis as another shortfall of this puppet government after its massive blunder on judicial matters, the privatisation process, tribal areas operation and inflation in the country. The question that arises here is what are the intelligence agencies doing except torturing the civilians, bugging and preparing the "scandalous and vexatious" materials against the chief justice, politicians and other judges? The history of these two mullah brothers shows that their unlawful acts and demands have been appreciated by the agencies in one form or the other because they have been involved in terrorist activities as per information in newspapers but the government is not paying attention and the FIR is still non functional which has been noted against these mullahs six months ago. Now the common man is confused that is it possible for any civilian to challenge the writ of the government (if it is any more) unless the agencies and higher authorities in the country support him? We know it very well that the government is making mistakes again and again as this issue should have been dealt earlier. But it seems like government is intentionally promoting fascism and radicalism, as the general wants to increase his government's value in front of Washington.

Nasir Hussain

Islamabad

(6)

The only way to put an end to the Lal Masjid's reign of terror is to assess its root cause. What causes an average person to become so desensitised to the suffering of others, that he not only commits but also encourages acts of terrorism? Do not get me wrong: jihad or "struggle" is a valuable concept within Islam, but there are innumerable instances of the Prophet (PBUH) striving to prevent others from getting hurt, and of promoting humane, gentle ways to spread Islam.

The primary cause for this desensitisation and the emergence of people who kill in the name of religion, is a basic moral weakness and vulnerability. The students of Lal Masjid were apparently who can be easily "brainwashed" into believing that they are justified and even exalted in promoting Islam by force. The preacher can take advantage of this opportunity to sow whatever ideas he wants into his listeners' minds. Thus he builds for himself a strong and almost invincible power base, and the vicious cycle continues.

To put an end to this madness and break the cycle, we should all realise that instead of fighting others, we must first fight and win the "internal jihad". We must strive to end all destructive feelings inside us, whether it is an average Muslim person or a Lal Masjid preacher, who is delusional and unwilling to let go of his power. To fight ourselves in this manner is the first and only way to cultivate moral strength, thereby preventing bloodshed and loss of lives. The Prophet (PBUH) said: "The best jihad is to fight against the evil passions of oneself."

Shifa Amina Noor

Islamabad

http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=63541

 

[Cheetah786]

I dont justify the extremist element that was within the lal masjid, but how it got dealt with is shameful, the military has blood on its hands just like the extremist do. They were trapped they had no where to go, no route of escape, they could have been captured after they run out of food and other supplies. Muslims are to follow the law of the land, what law in pakistan?. is it lawful to hijack a democratic goverment, torture rape and seek bribery? in pakistan there is no law and law is if you got money, poor man has no chance of justice.

Time to rise and destroy the punjabi scum that dominates pakistani politics and stays in power with its divide and rule strategy, freedom for nwfp and balochistan, we been part of pakistan for too long the land of evil and corruption, time to rise and free our selves.

To hell with quid e azam a worthless drunk who created a nightmare state that we no longer wish to be part of, I pray to Allah that a civil war kicks off in pakistan and balochs and pokhtons gain their freedom.

you no qaide azam was a drunk.then at partition time why didnt you go **** your self and leave.why a ***** like you stayed behind is beyond me.
garbadge like you is the reason we have so many bloody traitors.i would appreciate if you take my countries flag out of your name.if you think pakistan is bad it will be my honour to pay for you and your family to leave any where on the world.
get the **** lost.

 

[dabong1]

you no qaide azam was a drunk.then at partition time why didnt you go **** your self and leave.why a ***** like you stayed behind is beyond me.
garbadge like you is the reason we have so many bloody traitors.i would appreciate if you take my countries flag out of your name.if you think pakistan is bad it will be my honour to pay for you and your family to leave any where on the world.
get the **** lost.

Could not agree more.
And Democrap-Pak is mushy a punjabi or sindhi?
Muhammad Ayub Khan pushtoon
Muhammad Yahya Khan pushtoon

There goes go you crappy theory about punjabi domination.

 

[Neo]

I dont justify the extremist element that was within the lal masjid, but how it got dealt with is shameful, the military has blood on its hands just like the extremist do. They were trapped they had no where to go, no route of escape, they could have been captured after they run out of food and other supplies. Muslims are to follow the law of the land, what law in pakistan?. is it lawful to hijack a democratic goverment, torture rape and seek bribery? in pakistan there is no law and law is if you got money, poor man has no chance of justice.

Time to rise and destroy the punjabi scum that dominates pakistani politics and stays in power with its divide and rule strategy, freedom for nwfp and balochistan, we been part of pakistan for too long the land of evil and corruption, time to rise and free our selves.

To hell with quid e azam a worthless drunk who created a nightmare state that we no longer wish to be part of, I pray to Allah that a civil war kicks off in pakistan and balochs and pokhtons gain their freedom.

To hell with you and your kind...you're just another troll in disguise pretending to be Pakistani.
Crawl back to the gutter you came from.

Neo

 

[Neo]

you no qaide azam was a drunk.then at partition time why didnt you go **** your self and leave.why a ***** like you stayed behind is beyond me.
garbadge like you is the reason we have so many bloody traitors.i would appreciate if you take my countries flag out of your name.if you think pakistan is bad it will be my honour to pay for you and your family to leave any where on the world.
get the **** lost.

The moron is unworthy to bear our flag or call himself a Pakistani.
He's a troll from UK pretending to be one of us.

 

[Wounded Healer]

@democrat-pak

i usually dont use abusive language but for u, i'll make an exception

read up u **** a** piece of s***

stop writting about things that are way above ur puny intelligence to comprehend.

u worthless piece of trash

 

[blain2]

Has he been dealt with?? Please delete his ignorant rant about Quaid-e-Azam.

 

[blain2]

Very unfortunate loss of so many people including the many innocents caught in the crossfire.