ISLAMABAD: A video message by students of Jamia Hafsa, in which they invited Islamic State (IS) chief Abu Bakar al-Baghdadi to ‘avenge’ the 2007 military raid on Lal Masjid, has been termed as “waging war” against the state.

A report by the Islamabad police, sent to the interior ministry, says the words spoken by the madressah students in the video released by Shuhada Foundation come under Sections 121/121-A 505(1)b/505(2) of Pakistan penal Code (PPC).

The mentioned sections include attempt to wage war and the abetment to wage war [against the state].

Security agencies have already warned the government that due to his links with known militant groups and his anti-government rhetoric, the resurgence of Lal Masjid cleric Maulana Abdul Aziz poses a security threat to law and order situation in the capital.

They also stressed the need for a check on the growing number of madressahs in Rawalpindi and Islamabad who also have overt and covert links with militant groups.

Read: Lal Masjid’s expansionism, militant links alarms agencies

It may be mentioned that Ihtashamul Haq, one of the trustees of Lal Masjid Shuhada Foundation, filed a petition in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) claiming that following the release of the video message, the capital police have started harassing him.

– A copy of Islamabad police report