Mosque protest cleric arrested after trying to flee in a burka

Zahid Hussain in Islamabad

The chief cleric of the radical mosque under siege in Islamabad was arrested yesterday as he tried to flee disguised in a woman’s burka.

Abdul Aziz, the prayer leader of the Lal Masjid, or Red Mosque, was hiding among about 60 women fleeing the mosque’s female madrassa. His wife, who had threatened to launch suicide attacks against the security forces surrounding the mosque, was also arrested.

Hopes that the arrest of the hard-line mullah would lead to a peaceful end to the siege appeared to be shattered last night, when gunfire and loud explosions were heard coming from the area of the mosque. 16 people have already died in bloody clashes between Pakistani forces and the Islamic militants holed up inside. READ MORE

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