LAHORE: An operation against the banned militant outfit Laskhar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) is reportedly on the cards with the federal government asking all provincial governments to launch operation against leaders and activists of the LeJ across the country immediately, sources familiar with the matter told The Express Tribune.
The decision had been taken after a number of incidents occurred in Punjab and Balochistan in which people belonging to the Shia community had been killed. In some of these cases, the LeJ took responsibility for the attacks.
Interior Minister Rehman Malik seems to be giving oversight to this as it was a letter from his office that ordered Punjab’s Chief Secretary to detain Malik Ishaq and arrest his nine associates.
Malik Ishaq, the founder of LeJ, was allegely involved in an attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team near Liberty Chowk in March 2009 and in 43 other cases in which 70 people had been killed, mostly belonging to the Shia community. He had been accorded bail in July, 2011.
(Read: Court releases terror kingpin, alleged killer of 70)
The letter was written after reports regarding highly objectionable activities of LeJ founder Malik Ishaq and his close aides surfaced. Ishaq and his co-accused Syed Ghulam Rasool Shah had been released in July by the Lahore High Court on bail. Despite being put on the fourth schedule, which limited their movement and activities, the two were undertaking an expansive tour of Punjab, whipping up emotion, sometimes to deadly effect.
The Punjab government had placed Malik Ishaq under house arrest for 10 days, but after a letter from the federal government, the provincial government on September 26 decided to place Ishaq in a detention facility for 30 days under Maintenance of Public Order (MPO).
(Read: LeJ chief Malik Ishaq jailed for 30 days)
Rehman Malik said Malik Ishaq and Ghulam Rasool, both had been detained and further action was being taken in this regard.
On the other hand, on October 10,2011 the Punjab government had filed a review petition before the Supreme Court for the cancelation of bail of Malik Ishaq while another petition has been filed for the cancellation of the bail of two co-accused of Malik Ishaq in the same case against ATC before the Lahore High Court (LHC).
Ghulam Rasool Shah, who is also a co-accused in some terrorism cases registered against Ishaq, too was earlier confined to his hometown, Bahawalnagar. Intelligence and law enforcement agencies’ reports revealed that the banned organisation’s leaders are engaged in highly objectionable activities, whipping up emtions which may spark sectarian violence in the country, particularly in areas which they visited as part of public tours.
COMMENTS (22)
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If i were Hitler i would have annihilate every one from "LEJ" and every one backs their savage mentality. Because banning or detaining them will no never help the cause.
@Abdullah:
Law and order and protection from terrorists is a distraction?
Tell that to security officers who have to battle terrorists and their collaborators, the victims' families or the minorities who live in a state of fear in Pakistan and lack protection and security, unless you don't care for such folks...
You may have not realized but the government has indeed failed many times in protecting Pakistan citizens' lives and security is an issue up there with electricity, railways, PIA, etc. crisis.
I can feel and relate to the responses above in favor of executing this seriously heartless evil man who is no human anymore and does not deserve any sort of "human rights". He has lost that privilege long ago. Similarly I would be glad that someday Pakistani people in general stop favoring likes of Hafiz Saeed who brain washes people to do a cowardly massacre like the one in mumbai. Any such people should not be supported in any way.
I do not hope much action about LeJ activists from the government as these cruels have many sympathetic people in police, judiciary, provincial and federal governments. They will be underground if action taken. Otherwise, their friends will inform them before any coup. It is just election stunt. The politicians, police and authorities taking SUO MOTTO ACTION could have taken action when they killed innocent people in Karachi, Lahore and Quetta etc. However, We hope that only Allah will take revenge from them, their patrons and friends. Every one knows that a law minister of a province is under their political pressure. May Allah destroy every authority who could prevent such incidences or could punish them but have not done it.
Pakistan lost sympathy because of these criminals. As long as these beasts are among us, no country respect our sovereignty and identity. Eliminate them without waiting for prolonged judicial trials at the cost of poor taxpayers money.
Worst type of BEASTS!!!!! They should not be allowed any sort of freedom.Arrest them , try them and hang them
I have come across one LEJ activist. I asked him why have you taken up hard line approach. Islam is about peace, respect and dialogue. After few minutes i realised that he is completely brained wash. He was put to a boarding facility in a madrassah of a hard-line sect. Since his early age hatred against shia sect has been embossed in his heart and mind. Now he thinks any action against that sect is a big service to 'Deen' and he is proud of it. He has been to jail 2-3 times; however, he is still willing to continue his struggle against a particular sect. Therefore i am afraid any action against these hardliners will be fruitless, until, government initiate some rehabilitation programme . For example this guy had no job . Intelligence agencies should carry out a study and identify all job less hardliners from LEJ and government should offer them free training and jobs on certain conditions. Also government all hardline madrassahs should be banned or they should be forced to adapt to main stream syllabus because these madrassah are the breeding place for hardliners.
Just another way to divert attention of the people from the government's failure w.r.t. electricity, railways, pia etc. crisis
@Butt: That's called violent extremism!
Too little too late. LeJ made much trouble in India also, India sent so many dossiers to Pakistan to take action against LeT, LeJ.Pakistan could have saved many lives and its image if it would have been acted earlier back.
i suggest all of the friends who commented on role of these personalities, they must go to the courts and give evidence so that these people may be hanged as desired by them.
In the title the word ' soon ' is the important word. Who's clearance are they waiting for ??
in current times things are so grey. could you imagine some people (LEJ) who pray 5 times a day would be the most evil in our country. We must accept it as reality that religion is now just a tool which specially in pakistan is being used for personal gain. Lashkar E Jhangvi to me is a bigger enemy than India or Isreal at the moment.
They deserve nothing less than capital punishment for 1000s of killings Pakistan wide. If you want to keep them in prison for a few years and courts have to release them then do not waste the time and tax money
In 1993 I had the 'privilege' of listening to one of the audio cassettes of Haq Nawaz Jhangvi. One of the most vile and hate filled sermon I have heard heard, venom was spewed against shias and Benazir Bhutto. I don't know what God has in store for 'Maulana' sahib but his legacy is one beastly creation. 'Soon' action is late by some 20 years. It better be coming now.
Dont worry Malik Ishaq and Rana Sanaullah; CJP hai na. Why our courts keep on crying of insufficient evidence? just lame excuse. Unfortunately we want to kill everyone who opposses our idealogy.
I salute Mr. Justice Pervaiz who ordered to hang killer of Salman Taseer. I salute his courage as well.curse on lawyers specially, who are supposed to take care of INSAAF.
Curse on gustakhan-e-Rasool and also on those who make it reason for killings.
Despite all the boasts from the establishment, Pakistani govt has no option but to take practical measures against these terrorists roaming around in the country. With all their huff and puff the establishment knows that civilized world wants action and they want it right away. We must decide whether we want to continue with these terrorists or join the 21st century? Excuses are for public consumption only but the NATO means business.
Give credit where it's due...at least some pro-active measures finally being taken...still an uphill battle for good law enforcement.
Won't be safe until all these terrorists are behind bars and their extremist ideology nullified.
look at the coward's head;pretending to be a devout person;unless he clears his heart and learn to think of his fellow countrymen just as anyone,then that mark on the forehead would mean something;otherwise it is just a scar advertising the scar that his heart is.He should be put in jail for the rest of his life;he can do the praying for his sins there
Wild animals have no right to roam arround in cities and hunt down innocent civilians. This animal and all his accomplices must be hanged/ caged for safe-guarding citizens of Pakistan.
Crush them, kill them like the Karachi operation of the 90's...