Govt to approach SC for review: Lal Masjid reopening
By Syed Irfan Raza
ISLAMABAD, Oct 9: After complying with the Supreme Court’s order to reopen Lal Masjid, the government has decided to seek a review of the order.
“We have certain reservations on opening the mosque and related matters, and therefore will file a review petition,” said Interior Ministry spokesman Brig (retired) Javed Iqbal Cheema at his weekly press briefing here on Tuesday.
Asked if restoring the mosque to its old, controversial management represented “a retreat”, the official said “no, it does not”. It was, he added, “a temporary arrangement”.
Brig Cheema described the appointments of Maulana Abdul Ghaffar, a teacher of Lal Masjid’s Jamia Fareedia seminary, as the new Imam, and Maulana Amir Siddique, a close relative of the imprisoned former Imam Maulana Abdul Aziz, as his deputy as ”stopgap arrangements”.
However, the fact remains that the mosque’s control has returned to its old managers who had challenged the government’s writ and were punished for that. This was evident to everyone who witnessed the reopening of the mosque on court orders on October 3.
Umme Hassan, wife of Maulana Abdul Aziz, was seen issuing orders to the disciples of her husband how to handle the thousands who streamed into the mosque for Zohar prayers on that day.
Brig Cheema also said the demolished Jamia Hafsa would be rebuilt - as directed by the Supreme Court - in the compound of the Lal Masjid but not in its old grandeur. The new Jamia Hafsa would occupy just 205 square yards originally allotted for it and without any hostel. The old one had boarding facilities for 2,400 girl students.
Umme Hassan used to run the old sprawling Jamia Hafsa until the six-month-long armed confrontation between the religious elements holed up in Lal Masjid and the security forces ended in a bloody showdown on July 10.
A senior official told Dawn that the government will ask the Supreme Court to review its order that Jamia Hafsa girls should pursue their religious studies in the meantime at the Jamia Fareedia, a Lal Masjid seminary for boys. The idea may not appeal the veiled Hafsa girls, he said.
Similarly the government would like the court to restrict its order about paying compensation to the legal heirs of the girls killed in the July military operation to “innocent victims” only. “How can the government compensate militants?” wondered the official.
