Maulana Abdul Aziz, prayer leader of Lal Masjid, on Thursday urged the students and clerics to surrender, saying they would not be able to resist the armed operation. In an interview to PTV, Aziz said that he had he tried to flee the mosque after consulting his colleagues including his brother Maulana Rashid Ghazi. He said that earlier it was decided that Ghazi would leave the premises but the plan was changed. | Aziz said that some female teachers of Jamia Hafsa had stopped girl students from leaving the premises by telling them that it was their religious duty to stay. |
Aziz said that some female teachers of Jamia Hafsa had stopped girl students from leaving the premises by telling them that it was their religious duty to stay.
Aziz said that the madrassa students had 13 to 15 Kalashnikov rifles, adding that some of the weapons were licensed while the others had been provided to them by their “friends”. He rejected reports that the students had heavy weaponry. “We have a relationship of love and sincerity with jihadi organisations,” he said.
Aziz appeared at the start of the interview in a black burqa under which his grey beard was visible, AFP reported. Meanwhile, a press statement issued by the Lal Masjid said that Aziz had been forced to give the interview, Online reported. |