Radical Lal mosque cleric Abdul Aziz has once again announced to reinitiate his campaign to enforce a system based on the Holy Quran and Sunnah. The Capital Territory had to resort to beefed up security around the mosque and threats of arrests to have him call of his planned rally, but he still gave a Friday sermon, and the subject was the same; forceful imposition of Shariah. The cleric is seeking to revive his campaign to enforce Shariah law — or his own version thereof — nationwide, but his call for his followers to rally at Lal Masjid produced a thin crowd which was closely managed by the city administration and thankfully, there were no untoward events. It is plain that despite being on the ‘fourth schedule’ of the ATA, the Maulana is free to do much as he pleases, and the state chooses to allow him to do that. He and his ilk — he is not alone and there are many others — consequently dominate and own the narrative; the dialogue that goes on day-to-day between the various individuals that sway public opinion and the collective subconscious. The Lal Masijd continues to challenge and provoke the government, banking on the government’s preference for peace to avoid confrontation. Each time the government looks for a negotiated way out, Maulana Abdul Aziz emerges a little bit stronger and the government weaker. The message is clear; any cleric can defy the state if he can gather around him enough followers so that he can promise retribution. The fact that the mosque is in central Islamabad – few kilometers away from the seat of government and the GHQ of the armed forces only adds to his mystique. His every defiance undercuts the narrative on the war on terrorism. The Chief of Army Staff and the Prime Minister’s fierce words mean nothing if they cannot implement the NAP in their own territory. Maulana Abdul Aziz has become a great thorn in the side of the Pakistani society that needs to be removed. He is much more than the sum of his individual crimes – which in themselves merit the sternest of actions – he has become a symbol of the army and the state’s failure, a figurehead for scattered militants and an inspiration to those who still wish to impose religious doctrine on people. Abdul Aziz is the litmus test for NAP – and more importantly – the establishment.
pk.shafaqna.com
