Mick Hartley

As it could plausibly be argued that the current wave of Talibanisation sweeping Pakistan drew much of its inspiration from events at the Red Mosque two years back, it's not encouraging at this point to see the release of the chief cleric, Maulana Abdul Aziz:

Aziz's unexpected release Thursday, just two days after the government approved sharia rule in Swat, appeared to signal what analysts have called an alarming trend of official appeasement of radical Islamist forces as they flex their muscles in ever-widening regions of Pakistan.

Aziz, who still faces at least 26 charges, denied he had made a deal with the government, and it was not clear why he had been freed on bail by the Supreme Court. But his return to public religious leadership seemed likely to inspire a new burst of fervor among his followers and associates, who include members of banned sectarian and extremist Islamic groups.

On Friday, Aziz and other speakers linked the Swat agreement directly to their crusade for nationwide sharia rule and to their suffering at the hands of government forces in the storming of the Red Mosque. More than 100 people were killed.

The raid ended a months-long standoff. But it also unleashed a wave of anti-government anger and helped provoke an upsurge in terrorist attacks, including suicide bombings, kidnappings and executions.

With the army unable or unwilling to stop the extremists, elected officials have increasingly resorted to offering peace deals such as the one in Swat, in which Taliban forces agreed to lay down their weapons if sharia courts were allowed to replace regular ones in the scenic district.

"Islam has been successfully brought to Swat because of the sacrifices of the students of the Red Mosque," Aziz said Friday. "The day will come, not long from now, when Islam will spread to the entire country."

A sea of followers listened intently, their prayer rugs filling the streets and fields around the mosque. A bullet-riddled van and ambulance were placed outside as reminders of the 2007 siege. Inside, chants rose vowing that "the blood of martyrs will lead to Islamic revolution." A block away, about 50 black-veiled female worshipers sat in the grass. Police barricaded off the entire area with barbed wire.

No doubt we'll be seeing a return of the burqa-clad moral guardians to the streets of Islamabad:

But the men, and boys, will of course lead the way:

"Now that our leader is out of prison, he will lead us on a path to glory and the spreading of an Islamic way across the country," said Noor Mohammed, 15, a seminary student from the North Waziristan tribal area.

As older men prompted him, he added shyly, "I am ready to lay down every sacrifice for sharia, including martyrdom."