ISLAMABAD, April 14: Jamia Hafsa Principal and deputy administrator of the Lal Masjid, Abdul Rasheed Ghazi, has made it clear that the Lal Masjid administration has no plan to enforce shariah by force.

Commenting on an advertisement from some political and non-political organisations in some newspapers, he said the contents of the advertisement reflect ignorance about the movement of Jamia Hafsa and Lal Masjid.

He said that Lal Masjid had never talked of depriving women from their right to education.

He pointed out that Jamia Hafsa was itself an institute engaged in imparting education where besides religious studies, students are taught modern science and English language.

He said the students of Jamia Hafsa had never forced women to wear shuttle-cock veil, as they themselves do not do it.

He said that observing purdah was an Islamic order, but it could be done any manner as the purpose was to cover the body.

He said Jamia Hafsa had never forced any one to sport a beard.

He said: “Having a beard is a Sunnah, but we have never pressurized people to do it.”

He said the Lal Masjid clerics were also not opposed to the idea of women driving cars, if they properly cover their body.

He said the advertisement also raised a question, if the people were ready to get their televisions, radios, VCRs and tape recorders broken.

He said: “We are not concerned about the use of electrical equipment, but of their wrong use,” he remarked.

He regretted that a leader of a big political party assumed, without talking to the Lal Masjid administration, that it was resorting to oppression.