Lal Masjid operation anniversary not to be observed on ICT orders

Lal Masjid’s ‘Shohda Foundation’ has decided not to hold an event on the tenth anniversary of the military operation against the takfiri terrorists on July 7 in accordance with the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) administration’s decision.

In response to a request made by the Shohda Foundation on June 23 for holding a conference, the ICT administration had said Lal Masjid was government-owned and therefore political activities were not allowed there.
The ICT administration also said that the Shohda Foundation is an unregistered NGO.
The foundation has, however, decided to approach the courts against this decision.
When it was filing the application with the Islamabad deputy commissioner on May 15, the foundation had announced it will proceed with the conference regardless of whether permission to do so was granted.
A statement issued by the foundation on Tuesday says: “Certain elements were trying to repeat bloodshed in the federal capital and the whole nation witnessed civil war like situation following the Lal Masjid operation of 2007”.
The statement said that the decision to postpone the conference was made in order to avoid such a situation.