LANDI KOTAL: Cleric’s return upsets Lashkar leader’s plans
By Ibrahim Shinwari
LANDI KOTAL (Khyber Agency), Oct 27: Differences between Lashkar-i-Islam leader Mangal Bagh and Mufti Munir Shakir, a founder of the Lashkar, came to the fore recently when the former imposed a cash penalty on those who had fired in the air to welcome the return of the latter, some sources said.
A Fata jirga had expelled Mufti Munir Shakir and Pir Saifur Rehman from the area about two years ago to stop clashes between their supporters over sectarian differences.
The Bara environs reverberated with gunshots when Mufti Munir Shakir broadcast a message from his FM radio station on Tuesday night, after a gap of almost 20 months.
While the Mufti restricted himself to translation of Quranic verses on the first evening, he thanked his well-wishers on the second for giving him a rousing welcome on his return.
The Mufti also announced his contact number at the end of his first “sermon” in order to make him available to all and sundry.
Talking to Dawn, Mufti Munir parried all questions about his return and said he would now be confining himself to teachings of the holy Quran.
Mangal Bagh announced on his own mobile FM radio station on Thursday that those who had resorted to firing in the air would be fined Rs5,000 each.
He also announced imposition of cash penalties on those who had been involved in murder, kidnapping, theft and robbery cases.
Meanwhile, some senior members of the Lashkar-i-Islam have reportedly distanced themselves from Mangal Bagh due to what they call his high-handed policies. The sources said they also had differences over his move of inviting Mufti Munir back to Bara.
The return of Mufti Munir has reportedly upset Mangal Bagh’s plans to extend his influence to Landi Kotal and Jamrud tehsils. Hundreds of armed activists of Tanzim Ahl-i-Sunnat Wal Jamaat, a rival faction of Lashkar Islam in Landi Kotal, blocked the main Peshawar-Torkhum road for two days to prevent the entry of Mangal Bagh into Landi Kotal.
Later, a jirga comprising Zakhakhel elders made it clear to Mangal Bagh in his Spin Qabar base that his armed patrolling in Landi Kotal area would no more be tolerated.
The Kukikhel tribe elders in Jamrud have formed their own ‘sarishtha’ (a temporary union of Kukikhel sub-tribes) to halt the Lashkar’s advance into their area.
