The Lal Masjid Massacre: The True Story
The Lal Masjid Massacre: The True Story
The Lal Masjid Massacre- the latest of all examples of the state’s terrorism in Pakistan. As if the massacre of innocent children in the Bajaur Madrissa and the unlawful abduction of innocent civilians to their handover to the American’s wasn’t example enough. The government claims its innocence and points at the unlawful acts of the Lal Masjid administration taking the law into its own hands and the involvement of foreign militants, and infact invites acclaim by stating that the release of 1500 odd people is a clear indicator of the success of the operation. But was it worth carrying out the operation, considering the massive death toll of innocent students (about 1000-1500 according to a conservative estimate-A large number of them being children), and especially considering that the beleaguered administration was willing to give up its control in exchange for their safe passage- A paltry price for the exchange of 2000 lives. And what about the timing of the operation: No one mentions the Chief Justice or the All Parties Conference now. Was the death toll really 75-80 as the General claims? Was the threat from the madrissa students a real one? Were there really foreign terrorists involved and how was all this alleged arms buildup happening in the heart of the capital at an arms length from the ISI head-quarters and the Parliament and President’s House.
The government agencies have long been responsible for manipulating the socio-political scenario of the country to turn the public opinion in whatever direction they want. It is no secret that Abdur-Rasheed Ghazi and his brother played into the hands of the agencies who encouraged them into adopting these aggressive tactics that ultimately brought their downfall. They led them to believe that they would support them in their forceful tactics of enforcing Islam into the people’s lives. But Islam my friend has never been a religion of force, and it never will be. When the renowned musician Cat Stevens (now Yusuf Islam) converted to Islam, it wasn’t because of anyone forcing him to do so. It was because the concept of divine power of Allah appealed to him so much that when he studied Surah-e-Ikhlas his heart cried out: “This is how my GOD should be!” Anyhow the agencies led the mosque authorities to believe that they would always be by their side and whatever the government was doing was just to show off to the western media.
The mosque authorities’ belief in the agencies was strengthened by the fact that whatever they did, the government didn’t seem to take any action against them. They however were genuinely concerned by the fact that the government was going too far in bulldozing century old mosques saying that they were a security risk-they being too close to the road that the General himself frequented when going to and fro between Islamabad and Rawalpindi. A cousin of Abdur Rasheed Ghazi and Maulana Abdul Aziz who was a Khateeb at one of the said mosques, clearly told his cousins about his concerns on the issue. This issue set aside, the Ghazi brothers went too far in declaring enforcement of Islamic Law within their area of control by force. Their cause no doubt was noble but their method was clearly at fault. The abduction of some Chinese citizens from a massage parlour not only infuriated the government but also increased the international pressure on it to deal with the ‘Islamic Militants’ strictly. The agencies though still ensured them that they were as always with them. Even when the offensive was launched on the 2nd of July, 2007, they were ensured that nothing was going to happen.
Then came the siege and still the Maulanas thought they were safe as long as the agencies were with them. That’s why when a senior agent offered to take Maulana Abdul Aziz out of the mess, and start negotitions when he was at a safe spot, they still didn’t feel any foul smell. But when the Maulana got captured and was publicly disgraced on the govt. television, Maulana Abdul Rasheed realized that they had really been playing into the hands of the ISI. But now he wouldn’t play into their hands. He would not be their pawn! The killing of his father Maulana Abdullah by the authorities some years back must have flashed in front of his eyes. After all, all he was demanding was the re-building of the demolished mosques and the enforcement of Islamic Laws in the Pak-Land, which no Muslim can differ from.
Seeing that he was beleaguered and had nowhere to go, he tried to negotiate a truce with the government, but he realized that the agencies wouldn’t spare him and let him live, since he had clearly fallen out of their utility. He realized he would be killed or reprimanded to please the west. So he put a price on his surrender. He demanded safe passage for himself, his family and his beloved students.
The government couldn’t immediately involve in a conflict with madrissa. They had to show the people that they were trying for negotiation. And in any case, the longer the issue prolonged, the better, cause it took the people’s eyes off the government’s failings in the Chief Justice issue and the Floods on Pakistan’s coastal areas. The government lay in wait for an appropriate moment.
Abdul Rasheed Ghazi by now had realized that the only way to redeem himself was to stick to the right principles, come what may. He was not going to bow down to the people who’d betrayed him. The true Muslim i him came alive. He was not afraid of death any more. But seeing the imminent and feeling that so many of his beloved students would lose their lives, he thought maybe he should give himself up. But only if his students were given safe passage and he be banished to his native village. He would not step into this dirty politics any more. Out stepped the corrupt and sycophantic ministers of the government. Again showing him their sincerity, they led him to believe that they would agree to his paltry demands and they were really sincere in trying to save the lives of so many students. There is a hadith whose abstract is that “A true Muslim never gets bitten through the same hole twice”. Maybe Maulana Ghazi forgot this, cause he did get bitten twice; this time by the ministers.
The opportune moment for the government had arrived. It had contrived to kill many birds with one stone. Not only had the people’s eyes been averted from the failings of the government but now it could please the west by killing the Extremist Islamists. It had let them know that Islamic militancy in the country was on the rise and only the General’s rule could prevent them from coming into power.
Thus the drama of the negotiations coming to an end due to the Maulana’s rigidness and unwillingness to hand-over the foreign militants was staged. Reps of some other madrissas who were also present at the ‘talks’, later clearly identified the government for being responsible of the break down in talks.
Any how the brutal offensive of the government started in which it killed around 2000 innocent students in a few hours. Abdur Rasheed Ghazi who was some days earlier, loathed by the local population for carrying out unlawful activities, died a martyr and a hero. The government alleged that the militants were armed with automatic weapons, rocket launchers and grenades, and were highly trained. How could be that the occupants of the mosque never used a single grenade or rocket if they possessed them? The government further alleged that the militants were keeping many women and children hostage. History showed that none of the mosque’s occupants had been held hostage. They had stayed behind to fight for their rightful cause and no more than a few women surrendered after the fighting.
The government has so far failed to show to the people, what really happened at the mosque. It claims the death toll to be around 75 and claims its success stating that 1500 people had been saved from the hostage situation.
Are we Muslims and Pakistanis, deaf, dumb or blind? Can we not see what really happened at the mosque by looking at the circumstantial evidence? Don’t we see the 200+ graves at the H-11 Graveyard in Islamabad (one of three sites used for the burial) , half of which are children’s graves? Don’t we see how the government is burying the dead with stealth and fails to open the coffina to the public lest they should know how many bodies are inside? Shall we turn a dead ear to the latest massacre of innocent Muslims by this tyrant regime? Shall we not realize that this isn’t the first time (remember Bajaur anyone?)? and our time could be near? Shall we let the sacrifice of Maulana Ghazi and his companions go to waste? Had he and his companions surrendered they would have forever lifted our belief in religion but they HAVE sacrificed their lives and as Allam Iqbal Once said:
Qatl-e-Hussain Asl Mein Marg-e-Yazeed Hai,
Islam Zinda Hota Hai Har Karbala Ke Baad.
So brothers and systems join our hands in condemning the massacre and let the World Know that whatever happened was due to the tyranny and brutal aggression of the state and was in no way due to the alleged aggressive teachings of Islam.
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