Lal Masjid’s chief cleric Maulana Abdul Aziz called upon the administration to arrest General Pervez Musharraf in connection with several cases, including the 2007 military operation at the mosque.
A “vicious backlash” is possible if Musharraf is not punished by the law for his role in the killing of the students of the Lal Masjid and Jamia Hafsa, Aziz said at a press conference.
He said though he was disappointed with the present legal system of the country, he was raising his voice as a mark of protest.
Responding to a question, Aziz said he supports Talal Bugti’s offer to pay a billion rupees to whoever kills Musharraf. If no process is initiated against Musharraf under the law, people have the right to target him for his cruel acts, Maulana Abdul Aziz said.
He also criticised political parties and the courts for “granting immunity” to the former military dictator who overthrew a democratically elected government, abrogated the constitution and held the judiciary hostage. “Gen Musharraf has been welcomed like a viceroy,” he said.
To a query, Aziz said that he faced courts for five years and was proven innocent but no action has been initiated against Musharraf so far. “I forgave Musharraf in my personal capacity, but it is up to the heirs of martyrs whether they forgive him or not,” said Aziz.
Maulana Aziz’s counsel Tariq Assad said that the commission on Lal Masjid operation did not work in a satisfactory manner, as no serving official of Pakistan Army was summoned to record their statements.
He said if Musharraf was not put on the Exit Control List, the apex judiciary would be responsible for his escape from Pakistan.
He also alleged that registrar’s office of Supreme Court was taking up matters of political nature only.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 27th, 2013.
COMMENTS (12)
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"Aziz said he supports Talal Bugti’s offer to pay a billion rupees"......maybe one should question where does the billion rupees come from b/c if a person offers billion rupees as bounty then he must have 3 times the amount (at least)
And what about the 50 to 100 people killed on 12th may, when city of light went into sudden darkness.
@ Kashif. What a sorry statement for someone who seems to be educated enough to own a PC. This man - I won't even call him a maulana - is a terrorist and his statements here prove it. He will not condemn suicide attacks and makes excuses for them. And you agree with this man? The reason why the negotiations failed was these terrorists wanted free passage after killing Pakistani soldiers and terrorizing citizens for months. The gov't required surrender and trying them under the law. Which sovereign nation would give them a free passage? Maybe your mindset but not any sane person's who knows anything about how to run a country. Stop making excuses for these terrorists, they have done immense damage to Pakistan.
@Kashif: and what you suggest he should have done? Its easier to say that when yo are not at the receiving end. Do you know their activities and how they were terrorizing the citizens. they had amassed weapons and explosives and were threatening the country. they killed several police and army officers. Despite repeated requests for negotiations, they turned it down. Even the other religious clerics went to reason with them but they did not budge. On top of that they had made women and children hostage. In fact they had captured Chinese citizens and the china's government was demanding immediate cation.
This doesn't happen any where and no country will tolerate it! and if people like you keep supporting such terrorists they will embolden and wreck havoc like they are currently doing. Those who hailed Qadri as a national hero are still paying a heavy price.Religion does not teach you to kill people without any reason and these so called lal masjid jahadis killed several people so they were murderers. Please have the courage and decency to call a spade a spade.They were terrorist and should have been dealt with firm hand.
Maulana has got a point there. Musharraf's ruthlessness during Lal masjid operation is mainly responsible for how the things back fired. he either grossly miscalculated the repercussions or simply did not care what is going to happen next as he apparently succumed to american pressure, this made the traditional die hard tribals , who have a history of sacrifices for pakistan when ever they were needed, got turned into our biggest secutiry threat. I consider this our fundamental and biggest failure, and Mr Musharraf can be directly held responsible for that.
It was a very good operation and it should have been done. If this Burqa Uncle needs revenge then file a case against Musharraf, Army, Free Media and all democratic party who were in support of that operation that time. His today's PC have some political parties backing.
**> “Gen Musharraf has been welcomed like
Thank you for accepting the fact!, btw, he deserve this kind of welcome because he was a "President of the Islamic republic" and he left the country with respect unlike wearing BURKA like you Mr. Cleric.
Jog on !!!!
"ISLAMABAD:Lal Masjid’s chief cleric Maulana Abdul Aziz called upon the administration to arrest General Pervez Musharraf in connection with several cases, including the 2007 military operation at the mosque." Please first of all highlight your real role and character behind this operation which caused the operation silence in July 2007 and then demand Musharraf's arrest
From what I've gathered little by little over time from people mentioning the incident involving that cleric... How exactly did he end up being someone who is treated as and acts like a victim who's words are basically the equivalent of mistreated minority looking for, and being deserving of support and/or sympathy?
So that's what this beautiful young man looks like when he is not wearing a burqa!