SENSATIONAL DISCLOSURES INTO THE AFFAIRS OF LAL MASJID, JAMIA HAFSA AND
JAMIA FARIDIA RESEARCHWORK OF MQM INVESTIGATION COMMITTEE

Karachi – 22^nd April 2007

The MQM Investigation Committee has carried out a detailed and unbiased research report on Lal Masjid, Jamia Hafsa and Jamia Faridia in Islamabad and made startling disclosures, which are extremely sensitive. The MQM Coordination Committee after studying the report from the MQM Investigation Committee has unanimously decided to present the facts to the people of Pakistan through the print and electronic media.

According to this report, several years ago Lal Masjid was constructed to facilitate the area residents to offer prayers. This Lal Masjid was constructed on the land of Capital Development Authority (CDA) with its permission. Later this mosque was placed under the supervision of Department of Auqaf. This mosque was not associated to any particular fiqah or group and was only used by worshippers to offer prayers. A few years ago Lal Masjid was illegally occupied on the basis of arms by the sons of Late Maulana Abdullah, i.e. Maulana Abdul Aziz and Maulana Ghazi Abdul Rashid, and they made Lal Masjid as their illegal property. Today, the Imam of Lal Masjid is Maulana Abdul Aziz. After confirmation the MQM Investigation Committee has reported the fact that both the brothers Maulana Abdul Aziz and Maulana Ghazi Abdul Rashid have been the employee of the Government posted on high grades and were dismissed from the employment on the charges of being involved in possession of illegal arms and other illegal activities.

In its report on Jamia Hafsa and Jamia Faridia, the MQM Investigation Committee has disclosed that after Afghan war General Zia-ul-Haq provided one canal i.e. 500 square yards land to late Molana Abdullah from CDA (Capital Development Authority) to provide religious education to male and female students. It has been clarified in the report that Jamia Hafsa is the madarsa (religious school) for female students, which has been converted into a settlement by illegally encroaching extra CDA land by Maulana Abdul Aziz and Maulana Ghazi Abdul Rashid. And now the illegal occupation of land for Jamia Hafsa has increased from 500 square yards to 6500 square yards, i.e. approximate 13 canals with an estimated value of Rs 150 million. Similarly, Jamia Faridia is the madarsa for male students, which has been extended through illegal encroachment from 500 square yards to 11000 square yards (22 Canal). Maulana Abdul Aziz and Maulana Ghazi Abdul Rashid have not only illegally encroached the CDA land but also build four storey buildings on these madarsas. The MQM Investigation Committee has disclosed that the CDA has issued 19 notices to Jamia Hafsa and Jamia Faridia to end the illegal occupation/encroachment but Maulana Abdul Aziz and Maulana Ghazi Abdul Rashid by establishing State within a State have threatened of an open armed war if any effort be made by the Government to end the illegal occupation of the land. The MQM Investigation Committee has further disclosed that the Ministry of Education built a children’s library at the same site with a covered area of 2 canals, i.e. 1000 square yards. This children library has also been illegally and forcefully occupied by the stick wielding burqah clad females students of Jamia Hafsa – and this illegal occupation continues even today.

THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF IMPOSITION OF SHARIAH BY MAULANA ABDUL AZIZ AND MAULANA GHAZI ABDUL RASHID AND THEIR INSTRUCTIONS TO THEIR STUDENTS AND TO THE GOVERNMENT AND CITIZENS

In Islamabad, the MQM Investigation Committee have contacted the residents, shopkeepers, traders, women and people from all walks of life and compiled this investigative report through hard work and research, which contains startling disclosures of very sensitive nature. According to this report, Along with Jamia Hafsa, Jamia Faridia, the male and female students of Lal Masjid have been issued with separate instructions and directives. The female students of Jamia Hafsa have been ordered and instructed that as soon as they sight a woman or a female student without a burqah (veil) they must beat them with their sticks and bring them to the special cell, Mafi Khana (Confession Cell), in the Jamia Hafsa and forcefully compel them to ask for forgiveness in the confession cell and if they refuse to do so then to take them into the very heinous and dangerous torture cells within the Jamia Hafsa and torture them until they beg for forgiveness and pledge not to travel again without wearing a burqah. These burqah clad female students visit the wedding and birthday parties and use torture to force them to end the un-Islamic customs. Furthermore, in groups of 15 they enter into such houses which according them is not observing the shariah of Maulana Abdul Aziz and Maulana Ghazi Abdul Rashid, torture them, ransack the homes and drag them by placing ropes in their necks and bring them to the Jamia Hafsa – and not only “teach them a lesson”, torture them and compel them to confess that they are in the business of vulgarity. Forcefully compel the females in employment and the unmarried young girls to end their employment and education and to seek religious education in their religious madarsa and that the madarsa will arrange for their marriage according to their shariah. To assist these stick-wielding burqah clad female students they will be accompanied by armed men. Acting upon these instructions 15 to 20 stick-wielding female students entered into a house near the Lal Masjid of a women named Shamim. They beat up the family members and shouted accusing them of running a brothel. They beat up and slapped Shamim, her daughter in law, her daughter and 6 month baby and dragged them by their hair to the awaiting vehicle and brought them to Jamia Hafsa where they were inhumanly and barbarically tortured in Jamia Hafsa from 27^th to 29^th March 2007. Similarly 3 policemen were also abducted and made hostage by the female students of Jamia Hafsa and were subjected to inhuman torture. The women travelling in minibuses, cars and buses have been targeted, beaten on their heads with batons resulting in injuries to head and 3 to 5 stitches.

The MQM Investigation Committee carried out a careful investigation with caution into the male students at Jamia Faridia. It emerged from the investigation that according to the instructions of the administrators of the Madrasa, to forcefully enforce the imposition of the shariah of Maulana Abdul Aziz and Maulana Ghazi Abdul Rashid, the male students of Jamia Faridia in the presence of police not only attacked the video, television and camera shops in Islamabad and ransacked these shops but also looted valuable items including the VCRs, CDs and videos and set them alight. They also threatened the shopkeepers that if they will inform of this terrorism to any newspaper or television then they themselves and their families will not live to see another day. They openly roam around Islamabad, damage the vehicles driven by females, beat them up and claim that it is forbidden for a female to drive the car. They beat the females wearing jeans trousers on their legs and threaten them if they will be seen again in jeans trouser there legs will be chopped off. The same stick-wielding shariah imposing fanatics have also been seen stopping vehicles and taking the cassette and CD players out. They also beat up and harass the males wearing trouser-shirt or suits and threat them not wear this dress as this is un-Islamic. They grab their ties and threat them not to again wear this symbol of Cross or else they will be hanged by these ties. The Investigation Committee has further revealed that they also tell their abductees that at present they are only 7000 and wait for the time when their force increases to 70000 then they will dismiss President Pervez Musharraf, occupy the rule of the country and impose their Shariah.

INTERNAL AND RESIDENTIAL SYSTEMS OF JAMIA HAFSA AND JAMIA FARIDIA

The members of the Investigating Committee risking their lives have compiled the under-mentioned report; Jamia Hafsa is like a colony where residential houses also exist beside the madrassahs (Seminaries). There are narrow streets and alleyways and women and children live within its parameters. 10 to 15 women live in a single room with inadequate toilet facilities. However, beside food; Pepsi, Coca Cola and chips are also available for consumption while every room is facilitated with refrigerator.

Majority of women living here are unaided from Kashmir, kidnapped and destitute who are left behind by their parents believing their lives would be led within the principles of Islamic codes while boarding and lodging would also be available. Payments are made to the parents and relatives on handing over of women to the Madrassah Administration. These women are indoctrinated and trained for suicidal attacks in these madrassah while monthly stipends are also paid to these women.

The members of the Investigating Committee have also revealed that many women wish to free themselves from the bounds of the madrassah but fear for their and their relatives lives and therefore, forced to live there and comply with the instructions and follow the policy of the Madrassah’s Administration. The numbers of women living are approximately 4,000.

The Investigating Committee has also unravelled facts about the training and background of the students of Jamia Faridia. According to the report a large number of students living there are those engaged in the Afghan Jihad besides destitute who are there for the sake of free boarding, lodging and monthly stipends. They are trained for suicidal attacks and brainwashed into believing that the world is a temporary place of abode while heaven is the eternal place of abode and therefore, by forsaking the satanic acts, they shall redeem their and their seven generations sins. They are also taught that in case of their martyrdom in suicidal attacks they would be welcomed by Houris (Hoors) with garlands in their hands and they would have entry into the heaven without accountability. These men ostensibly number about 4,000 to 5,000. There exits stockpiles of modern weaponry including Kalashnikov Rifles (AK47) and Rockets and Launchers in Jamia Hafsa and Jamia Faridia. The report further revealed that the weaponry present in Jamia Hafsa and Jamia Faridia are brand new and totally unused. The Report also disclosed that strange people (people not permanently abode there) visit the Madrassahs frequently who hold one to one meetings with Maulana Abdul Aziz or Maulana Ghazi Abdur Rashid.

Some “Burqah” clad women told the Investigating Team that the Administration of Madrassah Hafsa is totally run by the spouse of Maulana Abdul Aziz who also adherently follows her advice. They further added that the Administration has kept them as “Human Shields” in case of any Governmental action in which case the Administration would kill a few women and children, accuse the government of oppression and crime with a view to justify their suicidal attacks.