Pakistan - Report cites Lal Masjid, Jamia Hafsa “waging war” against state

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/

A video message by students of Jamia Hafsa, in which they invited Islamic State (IS) chief Abu Bakar al-Baghdadi to ‘avenge’ the 2007 military raid on Lal Masjid, has been termed as “waging war” against the state.

A report by the Islamabad police, sent to the interior ministry, says the words spoken by the madressah students in the video released by Shuhada Foundation come under Sections 121/121-A 505(1)b/505(2) of Pakistan penal Code (PPC). The mentioned sections include attempt to wage war and the abetment to wage war against the state. Security agencies have already warned the government that due to his links with known militant groups and his anti-government rhetoric, the resurgence of Lal Masjid cleric Maulana Abdul Aziz poses a security threat to law and order situation in the capital.

They also stressed the need for a check on the growing number of madressahs in Rawalpindi and Islamabad who also have overt and covert links with militant groups. It may be mentioned that Ihtashamul Haq, one of the trustees of Lal Masjid Shuhada Foundation, filed a petition in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) claiming that following the release of the video message, the capital police have started harassing him.