In the Western news media and even much of the Pakistani press, the story of the Red Mosque has been framed as radical Islamist forces challenging relatively restrained government forces.

Indeed, the two brothers who ran the mosque preached an interpretation of Islam that was mostly reactionary and sometimes violent. But Farid Esack points out that key social/economic aspects of the story are being overlooked.

Lal Masjid imams Abdur Rashid Ghazi and Mohammed Abdul Aziz also critiqued the corruption of Pakistani political, military and economic elites, highlighting the living conditions of the millions of Pakistanis living in poverty.

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