ISLAMABAD: The former Khateeb of Lal Masjid, Maulana Abdul Aziz, was released on Thursday reportedly under a ‘deal’ and he announced that he would not seek revenge on former president Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf who has been accused of killing hundreds of students of the seminary attached to the mosque in a military operation in October 2007.

Maulana Aziz was released on bail only two days after President Asif Ali Zardari signed a controversial agreement with Taliban militants in Swat. The Maulana is facing 26 cases against him on different charges.

After about 18 months, the Lal Masjid was again thronged by a large number of religious activists and Burqa-clad women students of Jamia Hafsa.

Shortly after reaching the mosque, Maulana Aziz led Isha prayers offered at about 10:45, instead of the scheduled time of 8pm.

Maulana Aziz who was arrested during the Lal Masjid operation when he tried to deceive security personnel by coming out of the complex wearing a burqa, was brought to the mosque by hundreds of his supporters.

They paid tribute to people killed in the operation, including the Maulana’s younger brother Ghazi Abdul Rashid and chanted: ‘Ghazi is alive today as he was yesterday.’

There are reports here that Maulana Aziz has been released under an agreement that he will not create any trouble for the government and will not make any demand which may be difficult for the government to meet. 

‘I leave it to Allah Almighty,’ he said when asked by journalists if he would file a case against former president Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf.

He, however, categorically rejected a perception that he had been released under a deal. ‘We will look into the past, but will look forward to helping maintain peace, improve economic conditions and stop suicide bombings across the country,’ he said.

He said he would continue his struggle for enforcement of Sharia, not only in the country but in the entire world. 

‘We support enforcement of Sharia in Swat and the day is not far off when Sharia will be enforced across the country,’ he said.

When asked if activists of Lal Masjid would again take up arms, he said: ‘If we are pushed to the wall we would have no option but to defend ourselves.’

He claimed that he had never supported suicide bombings in the country and that he had only warned the government by saying if an operation was launched against Lal Masjid, suicide bombings could take place throughout the country.