Another Lal Masjid
 

The dust of the original Lal Masjid issue has not even settled when another Lal Masjid has emerged, this time though not in the heart of the capital but in the tribal areas. The local Taliban have forcefully occupied a mosque and the shrine of a prominent Pashtun scholar and famous freedom fighter, late Haji Sahib Turangzai, in the Mohmand tribal agency. They have renamed the mosque as ‘Lal Masjid’ and the madrassa would be called ‘Jamia Hafsa Umme Hassan’. The militants have also vowed to create more Lal Masjids and Jamia Hafsa seminaries in every corner of the country in memory of Maulana Abdul Rasheed Ghazi, who was killed in the Lal Masjid operation. As expected, the militants have turned Ghazi into a martyr and the symbolism in choosing the site is also quite evident. Haji Sahib Turangzai led a successful jihad against the British imperialists while the local Taliban are vowing to lead a jihad against US imperialism, though in actuality they are waging a war against their own country rather than any foreign forces.

There has been a massive increase in violence ever since the military stormed the Lal Masjid in early July. Now the main targets of the militants are the security forces. The ‘new’ Lal Masjid is yet another chapter in the long series of militancy incidents. It is a loud and clear call of defiance and openly challenges the writ of the state. This act by the local Taliban also underscores the nexus between the jihadi forces and the local militants who, despite signing peace agreements with the government, are still following the path of militancy. The appeasing attitude of the government vis-à-vis the extremists is a major reason for the local Taliban to act so defiantly. The example of the Lal Masjid is fresh in their minds. The government at first dilly-dallied on this issue and only after it was left with no other option did the government opt for the use of force. Giving the Lal Masjid administration six months to do as it pleased has encouraged the extremist elements, as has the government’s past track record. Even when the Musharraf regime became an ally in the war on terror and pledged to eliminate extremism and terrorism not only from its own soil but the whole region, it did not succeed much. The reason for the failure is obvious – the halfway measures that were initiated by the government, but never followed through properly, be it the madrassa registration issue or the banned organisations that have resurfaced under new names. It seems that the backlash expected from religious extremists has somehow put the government on the defensive, but the situation on the ground today begs for a change in the government’s policy.

Given the fact that the tribal areas are to a large extent un-policed, under the prevailing circumstances the government should have thought of sending more forces into the remote areas instead of leaving them as they were. It is still not too late. The formation of a ‘new’ Lal Masjid and an adjoining madrassa must not be allowed at any cost. Instead of asking the tribal elders to settle the issue, the government should itself take care of the matter. If all else fails, a frontal attack should be launched because if there is any procrastination on the government’s part, more Lal Masjids and Jamia Hafsas would spring up all over the country. The war against extremism would then be jeopardised.

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