Pak police to file case against seminary for IS links

A criminal case will be filed against a girls seminary here for having alleged links with the dreaded IS terrorist organisation and "waging war" against the country.

Pakistan police have decided to register a case against Red Mosque-operated Jamia Hafsa seminary and Shohada Foundation for inviting the Islamic State (IS) terror outfit to Pakistan to avenge the 2007 'Operation Silence' that was carried out against the Lal Masjid, resulting in the killing of over 100 people.

Senior police officials have sought the legal opinion of their prosecution department over a press release and video message, made by students of the seminary and issued by Shohada Foundation, inviting the IS to come to Pakistan, the Dawn reported.

A report was prepared on the issue by Superintendent of Police (SP) Rizwan Omar Gondal, which was forwarded to Inspector General (IG) Tahir Alam Khan for further action.

The IG asked for a legal opinion on the matter and the report was sent to Islamabad deputy superintendent of police (DSP) Legal for his opinion.

Prosecutors say video message to IS leader asking him to avenge Operation Silence qualifies as "waging war" against Pakistan.

Red Mosque and its staff including cleric Maulana Abdul Aziz allegedly have links with extremists groups.

So far they have evaded any action due to fear of backlash by the militants.
Operation Silence was a confrontation in July 2007 between Islamic fundamentalist militants and the Government of Pakistan, led by then President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz.

The focal points of the operation were the Lal Masjid (Red Mosque) and the Jamia Hafsa madrasah complex in Islamabad. The operation resulted in 154 deaths and 50 militants were captured.