Around 20 burqa-clad women and 10 men took off the party’s posters from lampposts in Aabpara Market. PHOTO: ONLINE
A group of men and women allegedly from Lal Masjid ripped apart the election posters of former president Pervez Musharraf’s party candidate in the federal capital late on Friday.
Sheikh Sajid, a supporter of Musharraf’s All Pakistan Muslim League (APML), said around 20 burqa-clad women and 10 bearded men took off the party’s posters from lampposts in Aabpara Market and ripped them up.
Sajid, who was sitting at the election office of APML candidate Dr Muhammad Amjad, which is also in the market, said the men and women arrived there at around 8:45pm in a pickup truck and a sedan.
“Even the police did not stop them from tearing down the posters,” he said. “How could we party workers have dared to intervene?”
Sajid said the Lal Mosque crowd has not created any trouble at the election office.
Islamabad police officials stationed near Aabpara chowk denied any knowledge of the activity.
However, eyewitness Umar Khan, who sells jewellery and wallets on the sidewalk at the Aabpara market, confirmed the incident. Khan also claimed the people who tore the posters belonged to Lal Masjid and said he supported their “act of vengeance” against Musharraf’s party.
In 2007, Musharraf ordered a military operation at Lal Masjid after its leadership refused to disarm and stop harassing people in the capital. Around 100 people were killed in the operation, including at least 11 soldiers and at least 84 people from the mosque, including the mosque’s deputy cleric and students, who had decided to stay inside the mosque compound after being given the opportunity to peacefully vacate the premises by law enforcement officials, were killed during the operation.
“It is wrong to kill people,” said Khan, who hails from Bajaur Agency but has lived and worked around Aabpara for the past eight years. “Not just Muslims. Even if it they are Hindus or atheists, they have a right to live.”
Published in The Express Tribune, April 13th, 2013.
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Nothing can happen to Lal Masjid thugs, as long as honourable CJ is in place.
Dear Express Tribune: The headline of the report says, "Mush's posters torn down by Lal Masjid brigade."
What is Mush? As I understand the name of the person in question is Musharraf or rather Pervez Musharraf. Have you decided to adopt street language and etiquette instead?
The design of the van is very alike of the ones used by police. Also, can the free judiciary see this? What Mr. Khan of PTI has to say for that.
Former member of Tiger team of Imran Khan .
ET,
The tone of this report was quite neutral, which is very unusual since all other reports on Gen Mush are always full of spite.
I expect and hope such unbiased news to continue in the future. Thanks.
They should booked for the criminal activities . I request our Honorable C .J please take notice . These people are good for nothing .
Again violent activities by theses thugs. What and where will they strike next?
Musharraf should have wiped them off.
These lal terrorists appeared again...???
I wonder people think Lal Masjid operation was wrong. I should have been done more aggressively. These criminals are in street again to harass the people.
The lal masjid thugs should be arrested for destruction of public and private property.
“Even the police did not stop them from tearing down the posters,” this is shameful.where is law and where are ECP people?!
Return of Lal Masjid/ Jamia Hafsa hooligans to reastablish their writ in Islamabad.Maulana Abdul Aziz and concerned should be booked for the crime.Letting them go scott free will set a wrong precedent.
Don't pay any heed on such these types of activities because if you are going to win then your posters' tearing down has never to harass and disturb you mentally and physically.You Musharraf has to pay all your attentions on the elections' campaigns not on such these types of time wasting activities.....