By Ashrafuddin Pirzada
LANDIKOTAL: Masjid-e-Quba in Landikotal, which used to run as a Taliban preaching centre a decade ago was reopened after 10 years of its closure Thursday.
District Khyber Siyasi Etihad Chairman and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (Fazl) deputy ameer for erstwhile Fata Mufti Muhammad Ejaz formally reopened the Quba mosque in Landikotal.
Quba mosque was closed down 10 years ago after militancy reached its peak at that time. Masjid Quba was in control of a local cleric Maulana Hazrat Nabi, alias Tamanchy Mula. He was an Arabic teacher in a state-run school and was from the Panjpeer school of thought he was famous for his speeches and preaching styles.
Hazrat Nabi had also installed an FM Radio at Quba mosque in Landikotal, a situation near Landikotal bazaar. He used to motivate residents for holly war((Jihad). The mosque was closed ten years ago when the Taliban and other fighters were pulled out of Landikotal and security forces launched military operations.
Speaking to this scribe siyasi Etihad chairman Mufti Muhammad Ejaz said that they were in contact with the government for the last several months to reopen the mosque. He said they had decided to open the mosque for the general public on Thursday while in the meantime Peshawar High Court also gave the verdict of reopening on the same day.
He said a large number of residents gathered at the front of the mosque to enter it and offer their prayers after a long time. He said they would appoint a neutral prayer leader(Imam) for Quba mosque who would be acceptable to all. He said it was a happy day for him and for his fellow political workers who struggled with him to open the God Home for the people.
He said the Jumma congregation would be offered after ten years today.
