Landikotal - A mosque known as Masjid-e-Quba, which used to be in control of Taliban years ago, has been reopened in Landikotal, Khyber district, and Friday prayer would be offered there after a gap of 10 years.
When militancy was at peak, the Taliban would use the mosque as their preaching centre a decade ago. It was in the control of a local cleric Maulana Hazrat Nabi, alias Tamanchy Mulla. The Mullah, an Arabic teacher at a school, belonged to the Panjpeer school of thought in Deobandi sect and he was famous for his speeches and preaching. He had also set up an FM radio at the mosque to motivate the locals for Jihad. The mosque was closed when security forces launched the operation in the region against militants.
District Khyber Siyasi Itehad Chairman and JUI-F Deputy Ameer for the erstwhile Fata Mufti Muhammad Ejaz formally reopened the Quba Masjid.
Speaking on the occasion, Mufti Ejaz said that they were in contact with the government for the last several months to reopen the mosque. He said they had decided to open the mosque for general public on Thursday while the Peshawar High Court had also allowed to reopen the mosque.
He also said they will appoint a neutral prayer leader (imam) for Quba mosque who would be acceptable for all. He said Friday congregation would be offered after 10 years in the premises today.
