On July 6, 2008, the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) observed the anniversary of the operation by killing 19 people in Islamabad through a suicide bomb, 15 of them policemen. An al Qaeda videocassette marked the first anniversary of the destruction of Lal Masjid in which revenge was sworn.
Amir Mir, in his book Talibanisation of Pakistan from 9/11 to 26/11, states: “Before the bloodshed, the Mosque had a reputation for radicalism, mostly attracting Islamic hard line students from North West Frontier Province (NWFP) and tribal areas where support for the Taliban and al Qaeda is quite strong. Much before the military operation code named ‘Operation Silence’ was launched by the Pakistan Army, the Lal Masjid had become known to the outer world as a centre of radical Islamic learning, housing several thousand male and female students in adjacent seminaries.
“As the Operation Silence unfolded, it was discovered that elements from jihadi groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba, Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, Jaish-e-Mohammad and Harkatul Jihadul Islami were present inside the seminary … carrying Kalashnikov rifles, LMGs, hand grenades, petrol bombs and rocket-launchers”.
Zahid Hussain, in his book The Scorpion’s Tail: The Relentless Rise of Islamic Militants in Pakistan and how it Threatens America (2010), noted: “Lal Masjid clerics Abdul Aziz and Abdul Rashid had learned their militancy from their father, Abdullah Ghazi, who received funding and guidance from the Pakistani military and intelligence agencies for jihad. After the Taliban’s victory in Afghanistan, Abdullah Ghazi became closely associated with al Qaeda.
“In 1998, he travelled to Kandahar to pay homage to Mullah Omar, and took his younger son along. During this visit, Abdul Rashid Ghazi became radicalised. He met with Osama bin Laden alone for an hour. At the end of the meeting, he picked up Bin Laden’s glass of water and drank from it and said: ‘I drank from your glass so that Allah would make me a warrior like you’.” (p.112)
Two months after the Lal Masjid siege, an 18-year-old boy blew himself up inside the high-security base of Zarrar Company, the elite commando unit responsible for Operation Silence; 22 commandos were killed. It was an insider job. Zahid Hussain writes: “One of the officers identified was Captain Khurram Ashiq, who had served in Zarrar Company” (p.121). Captain Khurram Ashiq died in Helmand fighting on the side of al Qaeda. His brother, Major Haroon Ashiq, too, worked for al Qaeda, killing SSG commander Major-General Feisal Alvi in Islamabad. He has been acquitted this year by an antiterrorism court in Adiala Jail.
British journalist Owen Bennett-Jones, in his lengthy study Questions Concerning the Murder of Benazir Bhutto (London Review of Books, December 6, 2012), refers to one of the assassins of Benazir Bhutto named Husnain Gul, who joined the killer gang because of Lal Masjid: “Husnain Gul was a madrassa student who in 2005 had received small-arms training at a camp in North-West Pakistan. The Joint Investigation Team (JIT) report says that when he was arrested, he had a hand grenade and clothes belonging to his friend Bilal.
“In his confession, Gul described how a friend of his had been killed when Musharraf ordered an assault on the Red Mosque in Islamabad in July 2007... Gul decided to avenge his friend’s death and persuaded his cousin, Muhammad Rafaqat, to join him”.
Operation Silence was disowned by the ruling PML-Q government. Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam’s Maulana Fazlur Rehman was reprimanded by the madrassa network into opposing it. The media sided with Lal Masjid during the operation.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 16th, 2012.
COMMENTS (25)
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@Lala Gee: Sir Gee, no, not at all I'm happy that you did and even happier that for a change you agree with me. If we were agreeing on all, it would have simply meant that we were not doing much of our own thinking. Regarding the point about me & what you call "the most corrupt and in-apt leadership of PPP" and my support---- well, let's see, in presence of all these "jihadi groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba, Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, Jaish-e-Mohammad and Harkatul Jihadul Islami" and now 'Difa-e-Pakistan' and Sheikh Rashids and Imrans Khans and, of course, the ever so willing media to side with prevailing 'Lalmasjidia' mind set and mission with equally delusional folks cover by their 'robes' to let them free and do the action replay on us. Not only PPP but any other or even combination of them would fail just as miserably. My point is that we ought to stand with those who we send to take care of the affairs of our state and these folks can be from whatever party affiliation.
It is unlike you Sir to leave something hanging in the air but tht is just what you have done with this one. The Lal masjid was around and up to no good, years before this botched operation took place. The failure is in the thinking process of those who allowed this nest to breed and function for so long. Has the thinking changed is the question to be asked.
@Lala Gee: One time when I agree with you 100%.
@Arifq: "At the end of the day, it comes down to Jinnah Pakistan versus that of Zia Pakistan "
Do you really think that Jinnah Pakistan and Zia Pakistan are all that different? Why because of the single solitary 11th August speech? What about 10 years of promoting intolerance and hatred for the 'other' during the Pakistan movement? What about the call for the Direct Action day? IT is not just religious diversity that he wanted to stamp out but linguistic diversity too and with one stroke of pen, hemade the majority of the country ( at the time Bengalis) illiterate because they could neither read nor write Urdu). What about dismissing the NWFP elected government? What about declaring himself governor general? What about the forcible accession of State of Kalat? Were they not autorcratic tendencies?
Jinnah before 1930s was different but Jinnah post 1937 showed characteristics very similar to Zia.
@ C NandKishore : "That is why Indira Gandhi should be praised for Blue Star. It was nipped in the bud. Pakistan openly supported Brindranwale"
Partially true. Pakistan did suport the Khalistan movement but who supported Bhindranwalle? Indira Gandhi - to cut Sant Longowal down to size. Also the problem in Punjab was allowed to fester much longer before she went in for Operation Blue Star - as compared to Musharraf whoacted within 6 months of theLAl Masjid mess.
So yes the law of karma that applies to Pakistan also applied to Indira. She died due to the same mess that she had created..
Lal Masjid operation turned out to be a good thing for India. Up until then, the fight was considered to be against the Infidels by the Jihadis. After the operation, they realised how Un-Muslim the Muslims of Pakistan are.. They have to fix the system in Pakistan, before everything else.
@shariq:
You do have a valid point Sir, but sometimes there are not only two sides to a story. There can be many more, depending upon different points of view. You must have heard, "Jitney moonh, Utni baatein". You will agree with me, there is only one version which can be the correct one, irrespective of how many are proffered.
As for me personally, I consider as many as I can, and then decide which seems to be true. Over a long period of time one gets that rare knack of smelling out the correct version immediately with certitude. That is the difference between youth and experience.
The most prevalent hobby in this land-of-the-pure is to invent as many versions of any event as is humanly possible, with the sole purpose of causing confusion. Guard against this decease.
I am not a supporter Musharraf but Lal Masjid was something he did right. It was a huge cancerous tumor that was eating up Pakistan from the inside. But this did not save the patient it brought us some time. The tumors are still there, and will metastasize and destroy Pakistan. We still need to do more painful surgery.
@wonderer: Why we always show the one side of the picture. There are so many well respected writers who also knows the other side of the picture. If we want to know the reality we have to portrayboth sides & leave the reader for the conclusion - thanks
I wish to Imran khans views on Lal Masjid operation?
*Lal Masjid operation was an drama just to show the world and specially America that terrorism is at its peek in Pakistan,I just want to ask few question to respected writer and those who are in favour of that operation... 1 Why media was not allowed to cover that operation? 2 Where were our intelligence agencies when those clerics were collecting and storing weopens in Masjid? 3 If there would be kid of any leader or politician inside that Lal Masjid then they would allow this operation to happen? 4 Was that operation the only solution for that problem? 5 Why Musharaf was so much keen for the operation while Chaudary Shujat Hussain was against it?*
Musharaff wanted to convey a message to world, radicalisation has reached right in the middle of capital.He didn't want to put off army uniform and Lal masjid was an effort to subvert that pressure.Power hungry yet brainless mullah , fell in the trap of General.Bad intents,from both sides,none succeded.Jihadis inside and out side felt betrayed and adopted way of confrontation. The courage to stage this naked drama with so many flaws, was infact a slap on the collective commen sense of this nation.This is the way a dictaor thinks about his nation.He was right,not many think that it was a drama.
This article tries bring up some facts which people are unaware these days.Media only bashes Pervez Musharaf and ignore terrorits role in creating atmosphere of bloodshed.i think its a fair and balanced article.
@Author I salute you sir for being one of the first to accept that Lal Masjid WAS in FACT a terrorist training camp with Links to AL-Qaeda, I wish more Journalist's and Politicians had the courage and will to speak the truth regarding the network of Al-Qaeda and there ilk that exists in Pakistan today! I pray that people look at the FACTS regarding Ghazi brothers before they start idolizing these terrorists. It is also a sad fact that the so called Moderate thinking PPP has yet to punish the murderer of its Governor Punjab the great Salman Taseer. (why? the delay in hanging Mumtaz Qadri?)
A meaningless article. Lal Masjid was on e of the good things that Musharraf did. It was a rest, refit and recreation spot of the terrorists. If JUI or PML Q is not owning the operation is not because they were not part of the government but it is due to its fear of the terrorists. This fear has invaded the Judges also who conveniently acquit them honorable. this fear is felt by Journalists also who for fear or favor propagate for terrorists. When JI Qazi was attacked by Terrorists in Mohmand he could not show guts to speak the truth and instead blamed some one across the oceans.
Here I am copying the comment of @Uza Syed: - with whom I never ever agreed in the past for her unflinching support for the most corrupt and in-apt leadership of PPP - posted in an another article, as I myself couldn't have said it better. I hope she wouldn't mind my borrowing from her writing.
"The whole sordid affair concerning that ‘den of terror’ called “Lal Masjid” should have been demolished right then when it was first established what kind of place that was. Such places hiding terrorist and storing weapons to be used against the state should have been raised to ground with mightiest power and resolve of the authorities, too much time was given and the mullah media was allowed to provide them propaganda and paint a place of terror as mosque and the terrrorists were called students. There were none who could be called students no matter how much one stretches his imagination, they were terrrorists and trainee terrrorists who challenged us, and our government did what it should have done and must do it again if circumstances so demand. Courts should do better things than glorifying terrorism and making the mutineers and anti people forces some kind of martyrs and heroes."
Are you sure facts cannot be made to go away in a country which still celebrates September 6 as DEfense Day, which still believes it won Kargill, where26/11 is considered a false flag operation and also that there was no Osama in Abbotabad?
You are an optimistic man Sir.
No one is willing to stand up and claim credit for the operation, this phenomena can be attributed to (1) Violent reprisals or threats by the extremists (2) Media, political parties and civil societies complete and unequivocal submission to the propaganda spread by Lal Masjid supporters. At the end of the day, it comes down to Jinnah Pakistan versus that of Zia Pakistan and unfortunately in this case the former and founding father of this country lost.
@good:
" So what exactly is the point? "
Dear Sir, that is precisely what the writer has left for you to logically deduce on your own. If you are as an avid reader of Mr. Khaled Ahmed as I am, you would know that is his unique style. He has perfected the art of stringing together a large number of indisputable FACTS and OPINIONS concerning a subject, and them leaving them hanging together on an invisible peg to dry.
And, do you not think, that is the best and safest method of tackling serious topics which happen invariably to be like dynamite in this land-of-the-pure?.
May Allah, in His boundless mercy and benevolence, bless Mr. Khaled Ahmed and keep him protected and safe.
What???
So, Lal Masjid is not about Indians, masquerading as TTP, fighting liberal fascists, masquerading as brave Pakistani soldiers, to give Pakistan and its 'ideology' a bad name?
I don't know what to believe.
No conclusion drawn?
It was afilure of the Mushrraf cabinet including PML-Q,how Q can refuse to acept thatincident, they were on board. So militancy nurtured in fact after Lalmasjid incident when Media was presenting Ghazir brothers as hero, their live message and speeches were being released, thus media also eqaly responsible in spreading Ghazis's idealogy.
That is why Indira Gandhi should be praised for Blue Star. It was nipped in the bud. Pakistan openly supported Brindranwale. Now they are getting it back.
Sometimes it seems you end your articles abruptly, so the conclusion is?
So what exactly is the point?