A 'Black Brigade' has suddenly surfaced in Islamabad and created a stir in the nation. It has hit the world headlines and done incalculable damage to the moderate image of Pakistan. It is composed of 3500 burqa clad stick wielding women of Jamia Hafsa. Its patron clerics claim that the enlisted strength of the Jamia is 6500.
The clerics have set up their command post in Lal Masjid that was once a peaceful place of worship. It is now a bastion of defiance. Two main demands of the clerics are enforcement of Shariah and reconstruction of the razed seminaries on the original sites.
Their pronouncements are negation of Quid's vision of Pakistan. The violent activities of their followers pose a direct challenge to the President's agenda of 'Enlightened Moderation'. They are also a threat to the progressive civil society of Pakistan.
According to one estimate, the brigade is backed by estimated 15,000 male students from Jamia Fareedia and other residential seminaries in and around Islamabad. This formidable force is under the command of clerics and outnumbers the law enforcement agencies. It is enough to hold Islamabad hostage within minutes without reinforcements from outside. Jamia Hafsa has a 'radiating' effect and is creating ripples all over the country. It is breeding defiance and disaffection.
Jaishe Muhammad (JM) leader Mufti Abdul Rauf and his activists have reportedly joined Lal Masjid (denied by JM) to confront any armed operation by the security forces. Jaish is considered to be the pioneer of suicide bombings in the region. Maulana Aziz's threat on April 6 of carrying out suicide attacks all over the country should be viewed in this background. Satellite images show presence of armed miscreants in the seminaries.
Government's inept handling of the situation and its policy of appeasement has emboldened the clerics who have become stubborn and rigid. Not satisfied with Shujaat's efforts, Principal of Jamia Hafsa has asked Musharraf to come to the seminary. She has assured him of his safety in the Jamia.
Lal Masjid is a government property and the clerics are its paid employees. Earlier, an attempt to smuggle weapons into the seminary was foiled by the security agencies and the vehicle carrying weapons was impounded. Maulana Abdul Aziz, the Naib Khatib was arrested but later released on the intervention of Ejazul Haq. Skeptics say that he is trying to complete his father's unfinished agenda. This was the beginning of the problem. The following indicators suggest that the government is gradually losing its writ.
One; Hafsa girls continue to remain in occupation of children's library and the clerics are linking up its vacation with enforcement of Shariah and reconstruction of razed structures.
Two; open warnings are being hurled on women to dress up modestly and sit on the back seat of the cars. Music and video shops in Islamabad are being threatened to close down or change their businesses. Three; on April 12, the Khateeb, warned in his private FM radio broadcast that no place in the country will be safe if an operation is carried out against the seminaries.
There will be suicide blasts in every nook and corner of the country and the government will be unable to control the situation. He declared that they have weapons, grenades and have the necessary know-how to make the bombs. He asked Muslims to destroy their TV sets.
He demanded that Nilofer Bakhtiar should be sacked and handed over to Jamia Hafsa for a period of three months for her transformation in to a devout Muslim. He alleged that Quaid-e-Azam University had become a brothel; co-education must therefore be abolished. He accused sportswomen of spreading nudity and warned them to stop participating in sports. He threatened sinful women of acid attacks to create fear of religion among them.
Four; a new seminary is coming up in an unoccupied plot behind a Luxury Complex in F-11. A large composite building with a mess, cooking facilities, water, electricity connection and sewerage disposal are nearing completion. The work is going on round the clock.
Five; Seminary students have raided and destroyed video/CD shops in Bara Kahu. Three of them belonging to remote areas of Frontier province were apprehended and their seminary vehicle detained. As expected, the clerics dissociated themselves from this raid and the elder Chaudhry confirmed their non-involvement.
Six; Local Taliban ransacked video/CD shops in Mardan, Bara and Hayatabad. They blocked the Lakki Marwat road and seized music CDs and Cassettes from cars and buses.
Seven; Geo TV team was dragged into a seminary near Kasur and unlawfully detained. Police raid at mid night secured their release. Eight; followers of Sufi Muhammed have become active in upper Dir. Tehrike Nifaze Shariate Muhammedi is gaining momentum once again.
Nine; One Maulana Fazlullah is setting up a huge seminary in Maam Derai on the bank of River Swat. He is reported to have gathered a force of nearly 6000 young volunteers on the day the helicopters were reported to be hovering over Jamia Hafsa. Several foreign militants are reported to be living with him.
Ten; 'Lashkare Islam' is becoming a potent threat in Bara and adjoining areas. Eleven; Ransacking of Tank and events of Parachinar point towards security forces' helplessness. A few pertinent questions come to one's mind.
One; Islamabad is a well planned modern metropolises with proper allocation of spaces for community services and places of religious worship. Why have the seminaries mushroomed in every nook and corner of Islamabad?
Two, there is no dearth of seminaries in the country. Why do the students come to Islamabad when it is more convenient for them to go to the nearest seminary? Three, if it was intended to have seminaries in Islamabad, why was a separate enclave away from main population centre not earmarked for this purpose?
Four; why have the ministries of religious affairs and ministry of education so complacent in laying down policy for the establishment of seminaries? Five; why has the CDA been turning blind eye towards their unchecked growth? Six; why no policy exists regarding province wise allocation of seats in the seminaries? Majority of students in Islamabad are from remote areas of Frontier province.
Seven; what is the source of funding of these seminaries? It needs considerable money to house, clothe and buy books for nearly 20,000 students. Mullah Brothers seem to be more concerned about the retention of precious real estate that they and their followers are illegally occupying in the heart of Islamabad.
They can blackmail the government any time from this vantagepoint, which is minutes distance from the Parliament and the Presidency. They are exploiting the religious sentiments of the imprudent extremist elements to protect their personal interests. They are using misguided students as human shields for this purpose.
They have set up a fortress defence around the Lal Masjid and the area has become a 'no go' area. They have set up an elaborate security system. A visitor has to go through three security checks to meet the clerics.. He is physically searched, has to surrender his cell phone and satisfy the Masjid Secretariat about the purpose of his visit.
Enough time has been wasted in finding a peaceful solution to this menace. The civil society is fed up with government's inaction and policy of appeasement. It is being misunderstood by the clerics as government's weakness. No further time should be lost in firmly dealing with them and getting the illegal occupation of premises vacated.
The Lal Masjid administration should be changed and two Mullahs removed from their positions. Seminaries in heart of Islamabad should be relocated. Unauthorised structures already razed should not be rebuilt on the original sites. President and Prime Minister should take the growing defiance of writ seriously and re-establish it expeditiously. They should spend more time in Pakistan and face the challenges facing the country squarely.
(S.M.H. Bokhari is former Commandant National Defence University, Chairman PMIC and Military Secretary Pakistan Army.)