Parents of students trapped in mosque pour into capital

Islamabad: A large number of nervous parents from various areas of the Northwestern Frontier Province (NWFP) and Kashmir, whose children are enrolled with the Lal Masjid and Jamia Hafsa gathered around the mosque precincts and hospitals in Islamabad yesterday night desperate to contact their wards.

The parents urged the government to desist from launching a military attack on the mosque compound while their children were caught inside against their will. Chief priest of the Lal Masjid, Maulana Abdul Aziz, and his deputy Abdul Rashid Ghazi came in for stinging criticism for the terrible situation.

"We all oppose and reject Maulana Aziz's doctrine of so-called jihad against Muslims and the burning of public property," said Noorullah Khan who had come from Batgram, NWFP, to take her daughter Amina, 24, back home.

Most of the parents, particularly those with teenage daughters in the seminary hostel, recounted how they had contacted Maulana Abdul Rashid and told him about their wish to take their children home when the government action started seeming imminent.

"He assured us about their safety and said that the government will not take any action. When we were insistent, he started employing delaying tactics and did not allow the children to leave the seminary," said Jamil Khattack, who has three children in the compound.

"All students, male and female, want to leave but these mullahs and some of their trained terrorists are holding them hostage and are using them as a human shield," said Imtiaz Ali whose daughter was still inside.