Islamabad - A day after civil society activists staged an unprecedented protest against the radical head of Lal Masjid on Thursday, the anti-Taliban rally on Friday ballooned into a full fledge agitation after political leaders joined their hands with the rights activists to condemn Maulana Abdul Aziz.
The crowd outside Lal Masjid got bigger and louder despite that police did not allow the protesters to gather at the same point where the activists had staged demonstrated the other day (last Thursday) as law enforcers sealed off the road on both ends running outside the mosque.
At 5.30pm in the evening, a small number of participants made it to the road near the demolished Jamia Hafsa and within few minutes, lawmakers of several political parties along with supporters started pouring into the venue.
Chief of National Party (NP) Senator Hasil Bizinjo, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) lawmakers Robina Khalid and Nafisa Shah, MNA Tahir Mashadi, Senator Baz Muhammad Khan and Bushra Gohar of Awami National Party (ANP) were among those who participated in the protest and denounced Maulana Abdul Aziz for having soft corner with Taliban.
The call of protest is spearheaded by Jibran Nasir, a Karachi-based non-partisan activist who gave the call for the gathering through social media. “This protest will become a movement against Taliban and their sympathizer. Our first target is to get rid of the ‘beast’ preaching hatred in this mosque,” Mr Nasir told the protesters referring to Maulana Abdul Aziz, the head cleric of Red Mosque.
Paying homage to the school students killed by Taliban in Peshawar, speakers on the occasion lamented that while everybody in the country and across the world was shocked over the brutal killings, Maulana Abdul Aziz and his radical students had not condemned Taliban for the inhumane action.
Participants particularly women chanted slogans against the cleric calling upon the residents of Islamabad to come out against the sympathizers of Taliban and free Lal Masjid of orthodox preachers. “Lal Masjid has become factory of terror and hatred,” Bushra Gohar, ANP leader and former lawmaker told the participants.
Some students who hailed from militancy-hit South Waziristan tribal area were also observed chanting slogans in the demonstration. “Religious leaders like Maulana Abdul Aziz are sources of inspiration for young lot that later join Jihadi forces,” Amjad Bhittani told this reporter.
The activists said the killers of former Governor Punjab Salman Taseer, former federal minister former minorities Shahbaz Bhatti and others should be publicly hanged in order to discourage hardcore religious extremists. “Lal Masjid is worshipping place for all. Maulana Aziz has taken it and its student’s hostage to his own whims. We must reclaim the public property,” Meena Gabeena, a civil society activist said.
Amid strict security, the protesters vented their anger at religious extremists outside the mosque for two hours and then marched towards Abpara Police Station having candles in their hands only to demand filing of complaint against the maulana.
“Police must nab the sympathizers and sent them behind bars. It is responsibility of both security agencies and political leadership to deal harsh with radical Islamist elements,” Mosharraf Zaidi, an activist said.
FIR registered against Maulana Aziz
Following registration of a case against the civil society activists on Thursday, the civil society on Friday got registered an FIR against the chief cleric of Lal Masjid Maulana Abdul Aziz and his four gunmen for threatening with dire consequences.
Senator Sehr Kamran of Pakistan Peoples Party, Farzana Bari, Shan Taseer, son of former governor Punjab Salman Taseer and some civil society activists approached the police station following a protest demonstration against Maulana Abdul Aziz near Lal Masjid, to get a case registered against the cleric. The Aabpara police booked Aziz and his four gunmen under section 506 (II) of the PPC.
Earlier, the activists held a protest demonstration against whom they believed the sympathizers of terrorists and demanded that a case be registered against the chief cleric of Lal Masjid Islamabad before hanging them to death for supporting the acts of terrorism.