PESHAWAR, July 31: Critics of the government say history is repeating itself in the Mohmand Agency’s Ghaziabad tehsil where some militants have taken over the mausoleum of Haji Sahib Turangzai who led a famous movement against the British.

The mosque-tomb complex in Mohmand Agency — dubbed the “new Lal Masjid” — now serves as a symbol of resistance against policies of the military regime of Gen Pervez Musharraf, they claim.

However, analysts say some misguided militants have taken control of the tomb in an effort to enforce their brand of Islam.

Significantly, the Lal Masjid episode has caught the imagination of militants as the trend of naming mosques as “Lal Masjid” is now spreading across the tribal areas, including the Kurram and North Waziristan agencies.

Commenting on the episode, Sher Zaman Taizai, a renowned critic and literary figure of the NWFP, said the young militants who were taking extreme actions in the garb of Taliban had actually no knowledge of legendary figures like Haji Sahib Turangzai or their struggle. “They know nothing of Islam and are just using the name of Taliban and Islam to vent their frustration.”

These militants, he said, were the result of poor law and order situation and lack of employment opportunities and political process in the tribal region.

The mosque, which was once a jihadist centre against British rule, is now known as the shrine of Haji Turangzai or ‘Lakaro Baba’ by the local people.

For decades, the Haji Sahib Turangzai Jamia Mosque has attracted huge crowds of the faithful for Friday and Eid prayers.

A translation from Tazkara Sarfaroshan-i-Sarhad by Mohammad Shafi Sabir says that Haji Sahib Turangzai used to tour villages and campaign for eradicating social ills, especially extravagant spending on weddings, ridding the Muslim populace of debts owed to Hindus and ending un-Islamic customs, etc.

He had tried to create awareness among people to solve their disputes and issues at their own jirgas, instead of referring them to British courts. Haji Sahib had established independent schools and madressahs in the areas under his influence. Over 50 such schools and madressahs had been established in Peshawar, Hasht Nagar and Mardan in no time.

Although these activities were not political in nature, the British saw them as a threat to its system of governance and education. They accused Haji Sahib of running a parallel government and had him arrested and put on trial. For lack of evidence, Haji Sahib was released, but his fellow workers were sentenced to up to three years in jail.

However, Haji Sahib continued his efforts to promote education. In 1913, he supported establishment of a college and inaugurated the foundation-laying ceremony of Darul Uloom Islamia, the now-famous Islamia College, Peshawar, which incidentally was NWFP’s first college.

Afrasiab Khattak, provincial president of the Awami National Party, criticised the militants’ action and said it was the government’s responsibility to check such activities because it was a direct outcome of government policies.

He was of the view that such elements had the patronage of the government because it had not taken any action against them in the tribal areas.

“Taliban are creating disharmony in our region whereas people like Lakaro Baba (Haji Sahib Turangzai) were like saints who spread Islamic values,” said Mohammad Qasim of Mohmand Agency.