My Thoughts on Lal Masjid Issue!

Throughout the Musharaf’s regime, we are facing incidents one after the another and each time the Islam of the Pakistanis is blamed one way or another. Whats going on at Lal Masjid, its horrible and highly shameful for both the people inside the Lal Masjid and Jamia Hafsa and the government for making a mess of the situation. It could have been solved through negotiations earlier, but the government needlessly lengthened it by displaying a complete lack of responsibility. We live in Islamabad and are in a continuous state of tension since the issue has intensified.

I am a Muslim and like all Muslims it’s my desire to live in an Islamic Society. The regime of Musharaf has since the beginning, criticized the beliefs of the Muslims and publicized the Enlightened Moderation. This is the cause that nearly every good Muslim in Pakistan hates him no matter what he does. Due to different policies of the government, people like the clerics at Lal Masjid have started their obnoxious efforts against the govt. I don’t defend the actions of these clerics but criticize the way they took the matter, it was not Islamic and due to them our government has got a strong base to take actions against every religious seminaries throughout the country no matter how good they are serving.

There are few things which lead me think that government is responsible for this catastrophe. First of all how was it possible that government and law enforcement agencies were not aware what was going in Lal Masjid? How is it possible and why they didn't stop them at that time? For the past few weeks, the Government was facing pretty bad response from the people due to its bad policies and being in the Election year, it was harming the cause of government to hold on in these elections. During that time, the government of Prez Musharaf was busy in its case against Chief Justice instead of handling the situation at the Lal Masjid by negotiations. They intentionally lengthened the issue so that they could have something to divert the people’s attention to.

The goals achieved by government!!!

· Humiliation of Beared and Burqa, arrest of Khalid Khawja( an activist of Human Rights with islamic perspective), a new plan against the so called extremism and Madrassas(seminaries) on its way ( as it is reported that a high official meeting is held in which it is decide to have a crack down on Seminaries like lal masjid). One has already taken place at Jamia Faridia in Islamabad.

· Deriving people's mind towards enlightened moderation through tense media coverage and showing off the rigid behavior of lal masjid clerics.

It was a case that could have easily talked down by the government much earlier but was made a disaster by the government intentionally to gain these benefits.