Army helicopters hovered over the Jamia Hafsa and Lal Masjid and released gasses, claimed Principal of the seminary Umme Hassan here on Monday.
Army sources, however, said the personnel on board the choppers were taking photographs of the seminary. "A number of minor girls fainted," alleged Umme Hassan. "Girls were in their classrooms when the helicopters began circling low over the Madrassa and started spraying gasses through the classroom windows," she told The News shortly after the incident.
Most of the girls managed to climb onto the rooftop but minor students fell unconscious after inhaling the mysterious gas, she alleged. Umme Hassan said there were three helicopters, two with Pakistani flags and the third without any marking, hovering over the Madrassa. "They were flying so low that we could see uniformed men in the cabins. Ropes were also dangling from the choppers, perhaps to be used for capturing some students."
The incident happened when the principal was busy giving an interview to a foreign television channel. "The women interviewing me are witness to the attack; they helped many of the fainted girls recover," she added.
Locals rushed to the seminary to assist the students in whatever way they could, witnesses said. Following the incident, many girls ended up with bad throats and skin and eye irritation, Umme Hassan said.
Male students at a school attached to Lal Masjid blocked roads in protest over the incident while their female counterparts shouted slogans from the rooftop. The helicopters continued the operation for about 15 minutes, the students said.
The principal said the Jamia and Lal Masjid administration had been doing their best to end their standoff with the government. "We took off all the banners and were sincerely seeking a peaceful settlement of the row but this attack has made the government's intentions clear."
She said the past record of the administration shows that the government always negotiated to cool down the situation before taking action. "It seems that they are adopting the same policy with us now."
"The students usually don't observe full Purdah (veil) when they are in their classrooms so taking their pictures is wrong," she said.
Meanwhile, Khateeb of Lal Masjid Maulana Abdul Aziz and Naib Khateeb Maulana Abdul Rasheed Ghazi announced suspension of the process of talks with the government after claiming that an operation was in the offing against the Jamia Hafsa and Jamia Faridia.
Talking to newsmen following the overflight of Army helicopters on the mosque and the Madrassa, Maulana Abdul Rasheed Ghazi said a military helicopter made a low altitude flight over Lal Masjid and Jamia Hafsa
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