ISLAMABAD: Only a week after successfully dodging his arrest, Maulana Abdul Aziz on Thursday managed to lead Eid prayers at Lal Masjid despite a ban as the police and the capital administration remained a silent spectator.

The authorities neither took any action to prevent him from leading the prayers nor made any effort to arrest him despite knowing well before time his plan to lead the Eid prayers at the famous Lal Masjid, situated right at the centre of the capital city.

The Maulana had announced plans to lead the Eid prayers in Lal Masjid on Tuesday.

According to sources in the Special Branch, the Maulana reached Lal Masjid at around 5:25am and started the sermon (Khutba) at the announced time of 5:30 and ended the prayers few minutes to 6am.

Deputy Commissioner Islamabad Irfan Nawaz did not respond to the query over inaction by the state and allowing the Maulana to enter the mosque despite facing several cases, even under the Anti-Terrorism Act.

When a number of senior officers in the Islamabad Capital Administration (ICT) were contacted, they expressed “helplessness over the matter.”

“What can we do,” said an officer, adding that they could only take action after getting approval from the higher authorities since it was a sensitive matter.

Similar views were expressed by another senior officer of the Islamabad police, stating that they were there only to execute the orders of the high-ups.

“But no move was made possibly because the authorities did not want to make a scene on Eid day and it would have created disturbances for the residents of Islamabad,” the police officer told Dawn.

In his sermon, Maulana Aziz reiterated his demand for the implementation of Shariah and called for waging Jehad against people and countries which did not respect the Holy Quran and discredited the prophets.

Talking to Dawn over telephone, Maulana Aziz slammed the authorities for banning his entry to the mosque despite a Supreme Court order reinstating him in 2009.

“The court had also directed the federal government to rebuild Jamia Hafsa adjacent to Lal Masjid,” the Maulana said, adding that “neither the federal government, interior ministry nor the Capital Development Authority challenged the directives of the Supreme Court and agreed to it – so it is they who are violating terms.”

While the Maulana was reinstated as Khateeb of Lal Masjid even after attaining 60 years, he was deposed from the mosque after he delivered controversial sermons in December 2014 where he defended perpetrators of Army Public School, Peshawar.

Besides, students of Jamia Hafsa and Maulana Aziz’s spouse Umme Hasaan had been releasing videos in which they could be seen openly supporting terror groups, including the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

On June 21, Maulana Aziz had dodged arrest after his guards put up resistance to the police when he came out of the mosque after leading Zuhr prayers. Soon after, students of Jamia Hafsa blocked roads, including Jinnah Avenue and the bridge near Kulsoom Plaza, to protest against the attempted arrest of the cleric.

Published in Dawn, July 2nd, 2023