The Army raid took place in a dramatic fashion after “cellphone” talks between Ghazi and Shujaat Hussain, the former premier and chief of ruling PML-Q, failed to end the stand-off.

“I have never been disappointed in my life, but I am leaving this place with extreme dejection,” Hussain said in the nationally-televised press meet after the talks failed.

“I asked him (Ghazi) to give up his stubborn attitude for the sake of Allah, for the sake of children, for the sake of women, sisters and mothers, but in vain.”

By the time the newsmen, who until then thought a breakthrough was round the corner, absorbed Hussain’s statement, firing and explosions rocked many sides of Lal Masjid and the Defence Ministry lost no time in announcing that ‘Operation Silence’ had commenced.

Taking advantage of the cellphone handed over to him by the government for talks, Ghazi quickly called TV channels in the midst of explosions, claiming he had been deceived by Hussain and Religious Affairs Minister Izajul Haq and vowed to resist the crackdown till his death.

“I said to Shujaat (Hussain) that kill us, but people will not allow you to go in peace,” Ghazi said before the government disconnected his phone.

“This is gross injustice; people conducting the operation are American agents and carrying out this operation on the US bidding. Now I am sure to be a martyr soon.”

The operation formally ended the reign of Ghazi brothers, Aziz and Rashid, whose family headed the mosque ever since their father Abdullah was appointed its head priest by first military ruler Ayub Khan when it was constructed in 1965.