07-17-2007, 09:55 PM
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>Who derailed mosque deal at last minute? </b>
By Umar Cheema
ISLAMABAD: Who jammed the mobile phone of late Maulana Abdul Rashid Ghazi when he virtually agreed to the demands of Chaudhry Shujaat is the question still haunting the minds of negotiators with some pointing fingers towards the agencies.
Information pouring in from different sources suggests a totally different reason for the breakdown of the final negotiations between the government-Ulema committee and late Maulana Abdul Rashid Ghazi, from what has been generally reported and said.
A key negotiator who suspects the agenciesâ role in bringing the dialogue to a halt, equally blames the leaders of the Wafaq-ul-Madaris for the tragic episode that left many stunned. Notwithstanding his controversial Islamic doctrine, late Ghazi left scores of his opponents weeping who still repent their haplessness in the last moments, as they could not avert the disastrous end of the Lal Masjid saga.
<b>A source said that the moment the late Ghazi had shown willingness to meet the demands of Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain in terms of the release of 15-20 persons, his phone dramatically got jammed. Whereas a close aide of late Ghazi has alleged the team of Wafaq-ul-Madaris for their lukewarm response to the conciliatory efforts. According to him, they were more worried about the betel leafs (Paan) they needed to fulfil their addiction. Moreover, they were more interested in taking over the Lal Masjid complex instead of resolving the crisis, Ghaziâs close aide alleged. </b>
Shujaatâs excitement was worth seeing after he got to know from the Jihadi commander, Fazlur Rehman Khalil, that the late Ghazi had softened his stand. <b>Khalil had tried to convince Ghazi. âLook Ghazi, death is dancing around and the circumstances have entirely been changed. So you should give up your stubbornness and come to terms,â</b> a source quoted Khalil as talking to Ghazi on the phone. This conversation had taken place after Shujaatâs negotiations had failed. Soon after Khalil had convinced Ghazi to release the persons in accordance with the demand of Shujaat, he rushed to the PML president to share with him this development.
The news had brought excitement for Shujaat who had asked Khalil to dial Ghaziâs number. Many efforts were made but Ghazi could not be reached on the phone. The repeated failure in getting Ghazi on the phone had perturbed Shujaat and Khalil.
<b>According to a source, Ghaziâs phone seemed to have been jammed by the intelligence agencies after this development that had taken place at a time when the decision-makers had decided to start the operation. </b>
Ghazi could not be contacted despite repeated efforts. âNetwork busyâ, was what appeared on the screen every time they tried to contact Ghazi who was available just minutes earlier. In the meanwhile, the guns started raining bullets on the basements that was housing Ghazi and his supporters.
The ever-smiling face of Information Minister Muhammad Ali Durrani had worn a dismal look when he earlier returned empty-handed together with other government negotiators. It was later on when late Ghazi had shown flexibility but it could not work after the jamming devices allegedly disconnected his external links.
Many government people, on the other hand, confirmed that last-ditch efforts to contact Ghazi would not work. Shujaat during the press conference had admitted that he was very upset and had nothing substantial to say.
The time he was leaving the place, the journalists put forward a number of questions to which he had no answer. As he tried to reply, his younger brother, Wajahat, asked him that it would be futile to say anything when the situation has got out of control and the real decision-makers had given a go-ahead for the âfatefulâ session.
According to a source, <b>Ghaziâs close friend, Khalil was not happy with the role of the religious leaders representing the Wafaq-ul-Madaris</b>. As the government members and Ulema team made advance towards Lal Masjid for a dialogue with late Ghazi Rashid on mega phone, Wafaq-ul-Madaris members were concerned about taking control of the Lal Masjid complex, once the beleaguered clerics had been evicted from the place. While there was a huge issue of the lives of so many people,<b> these Maulanas were in a hurry to go to bed instead of making sincere efforts to resolve this issue, a close aide of Khalil said</b>.
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By Umar Cheema
ISLAMABAD: Who jammed the mobile phone of late Maulana Abdul Rashid Ghazi when he virtually agreed to the demands of Chaudhry Shujaat is the question still haunting the minds of negotiators with some pointing fingers towards the agencies.
Information pouring in from different sources suggests a totally different reason for the breakdown of the final negotiations between the government-Ulema committee and late Maulana Abdul Rashid Ghazi, from what has been generally reported and said.
A key negotiator who suspects the agenciesâ role in bringing the dialogue to a halt, equally blames the leaders of the Wafaq-ul-Madaris for the tragic episode that left many stunned. Notwithstanding his controversial Islamic doctrine, late Ghazi left scores of his opponents weeping who still repent their haplessness in the last moments, as they could not avert the disastrous end of the Lal Masjid saga.
<b>A source said that the moment the late Ghazi had shown willingness to meet the demands of Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain in terms of the release of 15-20 persons, his phone dramatically got jammed. Whereas a close aide of late Ghazi has alleged the team of Wafaq-ul-Madaris for their lukewarm response to the conciliatory efforts. According to him, they were more worried about the betel leafs (Paan) they needed to fulfil their addiction. Moreover, they were more interested in taking over the Lal Masjid complex instead of resolving the crisis, Ghaziâs close aide alleged. </b>
Shujaatâs excitement was worth seeing after he got to know from the Jihadi commander, Fazlur Rehman Khalil, that the late Ghazi had softened his stand. <b>Khalil had tried to convince Ghazi. âLook Ghazi, death is dancing around and the circumstances have entirely been changed. So you should give up your stubbornness and come to terms,â</b> a source quoted Khalil as talking to Ghazi on the phone. This conversation had taken place after Shujaatâs negotiations had failed. Soon after Khalil had convinced Ghazi to release the persons in accordance with the demand of Shujaat, he rushed to the PML president to share with him this development.
The news had brought excitement for Shujaat who had asked Khalil to dial Ghaziâs number. Many efforts were made but Ghazi could not be reached on the phone. The repeated failure in getting Ghazi on the phone had perturbed Shujaat and Khalil.
<b>According to a source, Ghaziâs phone seemed to have been jammed by the intelligence agencies after this development that had taken place at a time when the decision-makers had decided to start the operation. </b>
Ghazi could not be contacted despite repeated efforts. âNetwork busyâ, was what appeared on the screen every time they tried to contact Ghazi who was available just minutes earlier. In the meanwhile, the guns started raining bullets on the basements that was housing Ghazi and his supporters.
The ever-smiling face of Information Minister Muhammad Ali Durrani had worn a dismal look when he earlier returned empty-handed together with other government negotiators. It was later on when late Ghazi had shown flexibility but it could not work after the jamming devices allegedly disconnected his external links.
Many government people, on the other hand, confirmed that last-ditch efforts to contact Ghazi would not work. Shujaat during the press conference had admitted that he was very upset and had nothing substantial to say.
The time he was leaving the place, the journalists put forward a number of questions to which he had no answer. As he tried to reply, his younger brother, Wajahat, asked him that it would be futile to say anything when the situation has got out of control and the real decision-makers had given a go-ahead for the âfatefulâ session.
According to a source, <b>Ghaziâs close friend, Khalil was not happy with the role of the religious leaders representing the Wafaq-ul-Madaris</b>. As the government members and Ulema team made advance towards Lal Masjid for a dialogue with late Ghazi Rashid on mega phone, Wafaq-ul-Madaris members were concerned about taking control of the Lal Masjid complex, once the beleaguered clerics had been evicted from the place. While there was a huge issue of the lives of so many people,<b> these Maulanas were in a hurry to go to bed instead of making sincere efforts to resolve this issue, a close aide of Khalil said</b>.
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