Abdul Aziz (Pakistani cleric)


Abdul Aziz Ghazi is a Pakistani cleric and khateeb in the central mosque of Islamabad known as Lal Masjid, which was the site of a siege in 2007 with the Pakistani army. Aziz was released from custody by the Pakistani supreme court in 2009 and acquitted in 2013.

Lal Masjid

He also warned the government of attacks in the case of a violent police operation launched against the seminary. "If the government fails to eradicate all these moral evils from the society within the specified period of one month the students of the seminary would themselves take actions against all the people involved in such activities," said Abdul Aziz while addressing Friday Prayer congregation at Lal Masjid.

Final Showdown

The Lal Masjid brigade came to public notice when they kidnapped women from Islamabad's residential areas and then later kidnapped several police officers. The brigade increased their activities and took to the crime of kidnapping Chinese workers from massage centres. This particular event created international pressure on Pakistan, especially from the Chinese government.
On 3 July 2007, the standoff with the government ended in bloody gun battles in which some publications claim that more than 1,000 Students were killed and scores wounded. The official death toll is much lower, at less than 300.
on 4 July 2007 at 8.05, Aziz was arrested while leaving the complex disguised in a burqa. The reason for his cross-dressing escape was later revealed to be that he was called 'by a senior official of an intelligence agency with whom he has been in touch for a long time' . Since this man could not enter into the mosque to meet him, he asked Maulana Aziz to come down to Aabpara police station, situated on a walking distance from the mosque and asked him to wear a burqa to avoid identification.

Release

Aziz was released on 16 April 2009 by the Pakistani supreme court as he awaited trial on Alleged charges of murder, incitement, and kidnapping. He was greeted by throngs of supporters.
Since 2001, 27 different cases have been filed unsuccessfully against him.