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The recently released khateeb of Islamabad’s Lal Masjid Maulana Abdul Aziz has said that the situation that has emerged in the troubled areas of Swat, Buner and Dir is a reaction to the military operation conducted against the mosque in 2007. He claimed that most of the students of Lal Masjid who suffered due to the operation hailed from Malakand division of the Frontier province and were now taking their revenge. ‘I had warned the then government not to go for the military operation on the mosque otherwise the situation would get out of control and I will not be responsible for the reaction,’ said Maulana Aziz in an interview with Dawn.
In light of Maulana Aziz’s comments, do you think military operations in Buner and Dir are inadvisable? Will initiatives by security forces simply create a new army of revenge seekers? How can army operations be conducted so as not to have a negative fallout in the future? Or what other options should the Pakistan government consider in the northern and tribal areas?
@FARZANA.
Most of the TALIBAN are Jihadis. They have been misled. They are Pakistanis. The army should disarm them. Provide them with skills in order for them to live a meaningfull life. The key here is EDUCATION. First they are brainwashed then they are made use off. How many will the army eliminate? If they just remove their beards and change location, they will be lost.
Yes, jail those that were resposible for brainwashing them, but dont KILL them for the killings will never stop.
In my opinion Pakistan should make an example of all captured Taliban and other militants who take the power into their hands. There should be swift action similar to what Iran did with the attackers in Zahedan. Take public action so that no one would dare challenge the writ of the state in future.
Abdul Aziz should be taken firm action against for continuing to foster hatred and rebellion. He has no right to impose his will on others. He is worse than the taliban fighting in the mountains since he is the sowing the seeds of hatred by polluting our youths minds.
I would also like to comment on the pathetic speed at which the Government has moved in proving the case against Abdul Aziz.
God save Pakistan.
Farzana,
I think you misunderstood the basic premise of the conflict. I don’t think anybody is killing them because they are uncouth or poor. They were in fact given what they wanted by the current democratically elected president. Clearly what they demonstrated was that they wanted to take over the country and establish their version of Sharia. That’s why the conflict brew. It is now or never for Jinnah’s version of Pakistan.
The question should not be about the revenge of victims of Islamabad’s Lal Masjid (if that is true in the first place) but rather how did we arrive at the situation that we are facing today in Sarhad and FATA because that’s where the rootcause can be found if Pakistani establishment is sincere to solve it.
Why weren’t the Talibans and Al-Qaeda in particular and all the freedom fighters in general, not unarmed and helped to get back to the normal life once the Soviets left Afghanistan in 1989?
The reason is quite obvious. Pakistani military establishment wanted to use these fighers to get involved in the proxy wars in India in general and in Kashmir in particular and so they kept arming and funding these fighters and eventually put them into power in Afghanistan.
Not just that but to keep the flow of fighers at a regular pace at the time of Soviet occupation, the military government of General Zia-ul-Haq even allowed the religiously oriented political parties to establish the madrassahs without any state control where a very narrow perception of Islam was being taught.
These are just two of the many reasons which led to the situation which led to the military intervention into the Lal Masjid last year.
This is the basic qusetion that needs a serious thinking and how to durably eradicate this phenomenon.
Until this situation is not resolved, all other actions (although absolutely necessary )will prove to be temporary solutions and the prime problem will keep on coming back to haunt us all.
Current tragical political situation in Pakistan intrinsically deals with correspondence between “global wealth distribution” and global terrorism as a new phenomenon in the 21st century, rather than with radicalization of Islamic society.. Because that the solution of the Pakistani crisis need an new approach to global economy as effective tools for political reform of societal reorganization of Islamic society, encouraging economic and technological development of Islamic world with new social and political vision, keeping the tradition, religion and culture of Islam intact. Only a new approach could help to transform global ideology network of terror into political movement capable to significantly contribute to democratic development and to create an new links between government and local society in Islamic countries and to create an new links between Western and Islamic civilization, as well. The strategy for solution of Pakistan’s crisis should include strategy of six moves: 1. Building of Welfare Society: local government/elite – global/local market; 2. Building Secure State: local government/elites – local society (every day life conditions); 3.Building Open Society: local government/elites – local institutions and international organisations; 4. Building Democratic State: Local government/elites -Power and Social Privileges – Governance – Administrative Control and Command over the Means of Coercion 5. Building Self-Identity Society: local governemnt/elites – global market- local cultural & traditional system of values; 6.Building Self-Changeable Government: Using non coercive instruments to promote
democratisation and state-building.
By implementing this strategy entire Pakistan’s society should be encouraged to move in new direction with a new modern Islamic identity, without mutual killing and destroing.
in my openion there is only one solution to the mesireis and backwardness of our country and the region at large is to welcome secularism for all times to come . ban by force all the religouse institutions , religious fanatic parties (political all religous ) ,purge every isntitution from the ji and other buggers .
all the religious political leadership shoud be convicted on treason and bringing to the nation every misery and misfortunes by thier stupid idealogies .
Farzana, you said “Yes stoning, flogging and beheading may be uncivilise… but how civilise is it to advocate the killing of people in the country just becoz they are backward?”
What if your father or husband or son was beheaded in front of your eyes. Will you forgive the killer and say “Let him do what he is doing, it is not his fault?”
two wrongs dont make a right. the problem is not linked with the lal masjid episode. It is a logical fallacy to justify the wrong doings of the Taliban. the people fighting against the Government have no links with the Lal Masjid at large. What is the reson Maulana is saying this is because he wants people to think that what he did was rite. but the people are not idiots and have their mind to think. the operation would have taken place even if we isolate the Lal Masjid episode.
Government of Pakistan and its Army have no choice but to liquidate the rebel terrorists who have killed innocent men, women and children as well as raised arms against the Army of Pakistan. They deserve harsh punishment, not negotiations for co-existence.
If President Musharraf had not joined United States in fight against terrorists, the common enemies of mankind, probably Pakistan would have become devastated like Iraq and Afganistan. In fact Musharraf saved Pakistan.
If Government of Pakistan and Pakistan Army do not take prompt and firm action now to liquidate the terrorist elements within Pakistan, there will be much greater price to pay. The enemies of Pakistan within Pakistan will become stronger and the world community will have no sympathy and financial support for Pakistan.
This Jirga meetings to negotiate with terrorists is fatal blunder. The outside world will look at it as abrogating the responsibility of defending Pakistan from its sworn enemies who have accumulated fire power to fight Pakistan Army. Defending Pakistan is the sole responsibility of Government of Pakistan, not the provincial government or Qabilahs or Jirgas.
Unfortunately, an average Pakistani is a victim of its political and military leaders. Now Pakistan should do what is best for Pakistan. The extremist monsters were created by these leaders in order to control the public and build Swiss accounts.
Pakistan had best chance after Bangladesh formed to reduce military spending and concentrate on economy and become a strong rich nation. The leaders blew it.
This is a great opportunity, defeat extremists, reduce military expenditure, avoid nuclear weapons and become rich and strong.
It would be so nice if Pakistan does that!!
Pakistan will never be insignificant nation. It will be a leader of Islamic nations if she becomes rich and strong economically, not militarily!
This is an irony to see this narrow aspect of religion particularly in pakistani society, why we agian and again discussing and making same mistake did in the past. History is best lesson to learn and not redo mistake and progress in better direction. Firstly, we should stop give coverage to these illogical and branded muslim idealogies. we are provide them free space to propogate their misguidance.
Secondaly, media particularly, encourage moderate scholars and intelligensia to help Pakistan to be peaceful place. we every citizen live with tolerance, harmony and respect each other.
with realizing the fact we are running against time and it lagging behind us, ad lead us to no where. we should focus for betterment of Pakistan. we fight to much for others now its high time to take stand for our own.
dear Indian,
You got me wrong. I dont support Taliban but that does not mean i want to see them massacred… Surely there is a way to reform them. Starting with Pakistan govt using aid amount it gets from west to improve living conditions in its backyard… Poverty, illiteracy, unemployment, lawlessness and govt patronage to terrorism begets fundamentalism and extremism …To get rid of Taliban, one has to get rid of conditions it breeds in…Killing them is not the solution, its short sightness …On the contrary trying to get rid of them using violence will fuel more extremism.
Its appalling to see educated Pakistanis here raving about their army taking on Taliban not realising that these Taliban are their own poor countrymen……Their backward conditions have been exploited by successive govts to become rich.
Yes stoning, flogging and beheading may be uncivilise… but how civilise is it to advocate the killing of people in the country just becoz they are backward?
It is heartening to see the free and the frank opinion of the common people of Pakistan being expressed here. It is this opinion that needs to be carried forward and made in to a national agenda in Pakistan to fight against Religious Fundamentalism and terrorists. There is light ahead as I see it and you all have to be brave to raise your voice and say NO this malady and malaise that has afflicted your nation. Taliban are the barbarians of today – like the Mongol hordes of Chegaiz Khan. There is no reason with them and their savage minds. The people of the nation must rise up and goad the political establishment and also stand behind the establishment to defeat the Taliban and fundamentalists. I do hope your struggle is fruitful and successful. Raising your voice is necessary and also mobilisation of public opinion till it becomes a mass movement in Pakistan against these fundamentalist forces that seek to destroy Pakistan.
The Maulana should have been given what he wanted – the chance of martyrdom during the operation on Lal Masjid.
The present and future of Pakistan is only ONE solution – secularism. Religion has just got out of hand and no line can be drawn on right and wrong. Everyone thinks they are on the right and impose it on the other – often violently.
All Madrasahs and religious intitutions should be forcibly closed (including the Islamic University). All preachings banned outside of a mosque. No loudspeakers allowed and all the religious activities restricted inside the mosque.
And then – give good governance and justice to people. Give free education. Put all the billions we have got in aid to human development
Mass killing of Talliban could make repulsive global picture about Pakistani government and so motivate many young Muslim people to stand up against the Governement and prevent any progress in solving of this Islamic disaster. The Governemnt have to provide more education, more job, and more opportunity and more hope for young people in Pakistan. The people in Pakistan need to see clear Government Program for their future, for future of new forthcomng generation.
Corrupted local goverenment and local institutions, sleazy religious and political elite, feeble academic community, is closing any options for people’s better future, motivating young poor people to join Taliban’s movement. Longterm and successful elimination of the Taliban ideology can be achieved only through entire political, economic and moral reconstruction of the Pakistani society, but not by military repression.
I reckon what our government is doing in this matter and giving leverage to them. Mullah Lal Masjid Maulana Abdul Aziz and the reknowned Swati Mullah SUFI Muhammed should be kept in jail because they challenge the ‘writ’ of government.
let us make friends with India. Let us stop interfering in Afghanistan. let us reduce size of our military to 1 lakh. Let us get our military out of civilian businesses. Let us pacify balochs, pashtuns, and mohajirs. Let us embrace sufi ideals. Pakistan will be at peace then.
To Tariq Mian,
I agree with you but differ with you on one account. You advised Maulana to develop a responsible voice. However he is said to have left his case to God. He still thinks that he was right. He even issued statements against the govt. He is even now inciting those who listen to him, against govt. I think at this stage even a small word of leneincy is not right for him. You said, previously they doing good of religiuos learning and stuff like that. But I think the result should have been good if they were doing good job. But we saw that the result does not match with the so-called good that you are thinking they were doing. I think these religious seminaries need an overhaul. Their curricullum need be checked properly and some research work that is lacking, let me say it again, Lacking, should be done on religion.
Is there any Law & Order in this country??
Its surprising that a person directly responsible for creating a law & order situation in the capitol and responsible for so many lives is being allowed to speak publicly again.
On a seperate note, any person whose existance is under threat would pick up arms to defend himself. We as a nation have failed to provide justice, growth, development & equal opportunity to the poor (in madrassah’s & elsewhere). They should have been given skills to make a decent living for themselves. Considering the large number of madrassah’s operating in the country for the last 3 decades, I would say it was an opportunity lost.
After the Army’s decisive action, that probably is justifiable, the present establishment has to come with a plan for the future or face more of these scenarios.
Why did supreme court get him out on bail. He is a terrorist and he should be put in jail for ever. He shouldn’t see light of the day ever. Our judicial system is a joke. He is still giving provokative statements and inticing people to fight and giving justification for suiside bombings which has killed hundreds of innocent lives. This is just ridiculous. I am appaulled by this and it makes me so angry.
maulana abdul aziz freed by supreme court … thnx for this law abidingness where the cases of poor people are pending for decades ……was maulana sahib so imp to b released? the messages he gave before he was arrested are still fresh in people’s minds(although we the common people have a weak memory) …..the threats of suicide attackers ready for strike anywhere in islamabad if the operation doesnt stop….. but he was released.. ..the first sermon of jumma after his release was only against army operation in DIR BUNER etc….. and it included warnings to army to stop the operation or the consequences will b disasterus for them ……on the same day of jumma there were stalls of cds n palmphlates outside laal masjid that urged youngsters to join sacred war n become suicide bombers ….. cds included last interviews of many young bombers ….still people like QAZI HUSSAIN AHMED have doubts about operation … what is inevitable and what is not we are sensible enough to understand…..
when operation laal masjid was conducted all the media and common man was in the favour …..the moment it was over media turned tide againt the operation and started to say that it could have been resolved peacefully ..what peacefully?.. can u talk to a person who is behind the wall and is firing??? all the masjid people were given open chance to leave the mosque .. many came out but the remaining were not ready to come . the operation didnot commence till it was deemed inevitable ..
the moment operation was over many media channels brought the wife of maulana on media and portrayed her in such a pityful way that people went againt the operation …isnt it pity??…..
now the comments of maulana sahib … if the taliban in buner etc are the people who are leftover of laal masjid then should we feel pity for then and let them do whatever they want to do …..
its a real long discussion and 1 comment colomn is not sufficient to express my views
My only comment is NO TO THIS MULVI AND NO TO TALIBANIZATION OF PAKISTAN these mulvis have hijacked our society time is now to show them their actual place in society
You are right Shariq!
Most of our leaders are just corrupt politicans. Pakistan saw stability in Musharrafs era only in the past 60years. Bring back Musharraf and save Pakistan.
In my opinion Abdul Aziz and Abdul Rashid were given more than enough time! they had previously been arrested and released! they were asked by Maulvi Taqi Usmani, their Pir, to let go of their hard lined stance. They had all the opportunity to save face and keep peace. Yet they didn’t.
and now they blame Musharraf!
The use of students as human shields, same is the tactic of taliban i.e. TT (i dont want to use P for Pakistan here, they arent pakistani) in Mingora and Buner and other places. These people are against the sovereignty of Pakistan, against the wishes of its people and consider these people as expendable assets in pursuit of their anti state agenda.
same is the case with Maulana here
If you are a Pakistani and love your country, your ID is Pakistani, you will allow no one to disrespect your country. Whatever the conditions but country is First. PAKISTAN FIRST.
We are muslim, no doubt, our constitution and everything in accodance our wishes. If someone wants change to in the parliament, make your mind people but dont blame others.
Can we ask our 50% population to sit at home and no education, such demands can not be made by muslims.
Rebels and insurgents are against the country, they want to destroy the system of the country. Is it justified? Something is very simple. Even a muslim if wants to destroy the country, he must be dealt with force. We believe in PAKISTAN FIRST. We can do everything for ourself and our safety.