ISLAMABAD, 9 April 2007 — The imam of Islamabad’s Red Mosque who is at the center of a growing controversy says he has set up a “Shariah court” to rid society of immoral and un-Islamic practices. The leader, Abdul Aziz, announced the establishment of the Taleban-style court last week and threatened to unleash suicide attacks if the government tried to shut it down.
In an interview with Arab News, Abdul Aziz defended his actions, saying the government had failed to check immorality and close down dens of vice in the capital city. The Red Mosque and its neighboring religious school, Madrasa Hafsa, present a picture of forts guarded by armed men. Upon entry, one has to deposit an identity card at the first gate and obtain an entry pass. A guard at the second gate checks the pass and takes the visitor to the room or “Hujra” of Abdul Aziz.
I was guided to the “Hujra” by one of the students, Umair. “Maulana Sahib is offering prayers and will be with you in a few minutes,” I was told. After 10 minutes Abdul Aziz arrived and welcomed me.
Abdul Aziz was born in Basti Abdulla, a village between Kashmore and Rojhan which was named after his father who was assassinated by unidentified gunmen in 1998. Abdul Aziz claims his father was killed by those who did not approve of jihad because he had taken part in the jihad against the Soviet Union in Afghanistan.
During the course of the interview, Abdul Aziz threatened to issue a decree against Tourism Minister Nilofar Bakhtiar, who he alleged was photographed hugging and kissing a Frenchman in Paris.
When asked what prompted him to set up a Shariah court in the mosque when an Islamic Shariah Court was operating in the country and whether this was not tantamount to creating a parallel judicial and administrative system, he said the country was created in the name of Islam but even after six decades, immoral practices were rampant in society. The government has failed to take action against those promoting vice. There is no social justice and no protection for the people, he added.
He said he had received a large number of letters from policewomen in Islamabad who have complained of rapes and sexual harassment.
“I showed the letters to Pakistan Muslim League President Chaudhry Shujaat, whom I happened to meet yesterday. He expressed his concern and supported some of our demands. I asked him if a policewoman is not safe, who is?” Shujaat was shocked to read the letters sent to Madrasa Hafsa by policewomen, Abdul Aziz said.
Girl students of Madrasa Hafsa recently kidnapped an alleged brothel owner, her daughter and daughter-in-law, and said they were promoting vulgarity. The women were released after they had confessed to their crimes but they retracted their confessions once they were free. They said they had been tortured and forced to confess.
Asked why he encouraged his students to roam through the city threatening merchants dealing in CDs, DVDs and videos, Abdul Aziz said such a claim was propaganda on the part of the media.
Some shop owners handed over CDs that contained obscene material and though the CDs were destroyed by the mosque authorities, the merchants were compensated.
Referring to the alleged brothel owner, Abdul Aziz said she had been pardoned because she confessed and repented. “But, now she is threatening our students by phone,” he said. He said the mosque would shortly issue decrees against her and Nilofar Bakhtiar and that his students would “make them accountable under Islamic laws.”
When it was pointed out that his actions amounted to creating chaos and anarchy in society, Abdul Aziz said Chaudhry Shujaat was shocked to see Nilofar’s picture and promised to take action on his own.
Abdul Aziz said he was willing to talk to President Musharraf but would not allow Islamic values to be trampled in the name of modernization. “We do not oppose educational, scientific and industrial advancement, but will certainly not tolerate any proliferation of vice.”
When his attention was drawn to a statement by his brother, Abdul Rashid Ghazi, who said authorities were threatening to use force to evict them from the mosque and madrasa, Abdul Aziz said: “Yes we have received threats and my students will retaliate in case of an army action.”
Abdul Aziz’s brother has threatened the government of suicide attacks in case of a government action. Abdul Aziz said his students were armed but that all the weapons were licensed. He reiterated that he was open to talks with the president or the prime minister and would present his case. When reminded that he had signed an agreement with the government in 2004 pledging not to convert the madrasa into a militant training center or give calls for jihad, Abdul Aziz said he was persuaded by his teachers to do so.
“But after the passage of the Women’s Empowerment Bill, we felt that the present government had lost direction. It was enacting laws that would promote vulgarity. We still ask the government to review its policies.” To a question about the illegal occupation of land on which the madrasa and student hostels are constructed, Abdul Aziz admitted the land was occupied but added: “Land belongs to Allah and if we construct religious facilities, we do not think we have committed any sin or crime.
The Capital Development Authority has no law or provision for construction of mosques. The Quaid-e-Azam University was provided with 1,700 acres of land. If we have taken some land for a madrasa, what is wrong with that?” he asked. He denied that his students were receiving military training in the madrasa.
When it was pointed out that his act was sending a signal across the world that Talebanization was taking roots in Pakistan and that President Musharraf’s presence was necessary to rein in extremists, Abdul Aziz said: “Our rulers try to appease foreign powers, but our mission is to follow the Qur’an and enforce Shariah.” Asked if he would be able to withstand government hostility for a long time, Abdul Aziz said his students were ready to do so.
