ISLAMABAD, July 16: Unsure of their legal footing, the capital police are seeking advice of the Interior Ministry whether to register a murder case against the former army chief and president, Gen Pervez Musharraf, relating to the 2007 military operation in Lal Masjid.

`We are writing to the Interior Ministry seeking its guidance whether or not to register an FIR as ordered by the Islamabad High Court,` Station House Officer of Aabpara police station, Inspector Qasim Niazi, told Dawn on Tuesday as the affected people of Lal Masjid agitated for the registration of the murder case.

SHO Niazi, quoting from the order issued by Justice Noorul Haq N. Qureshi last Friday, explained that the court asked the police to record the statement of the complainant Haroon Rasheed and register an FIR `in accordance with the law if there may be any cognizable of-fence.

Haroon Rasheed had moved the IHC last month to seek those directions as his father Ghazi Abdul Rasheed, a prominent cleric of Lal Masjid, and grandmother Sahiba Khatoon were killed in the July 2007 military operation.

Soon after the court issued its order, Haroon Rasheed went to Aabpara police station to lodge his FIR but was told the court`s written order had not reached the police yet.

On Monday, Haroon Rasheed delivered the short order of the court to the Aabpara police and his application for registering an FIR against Gen Musharraf.

Police received the application, and recorded his statement, but would not register the FIR until their legal department and senior officers gave their opinions on the matter.

When complainant Haroon reappeared at Aabpara police station on Tuesday, he wastold to wait till Thursday as the Inspector General of Police of Islamabad was on two-day leave.

That infuriated Haroon Rasheed and his supporters who accused the police of playing delaying tactics.

`We have heard that the IGP and his second-in-command, the Senior Superintendent of Police, have been removed and new officers will fill their posts. The SHO Aabpara police will also be posted out to delay registration of the murder case,` the spokesman of Lal Masjid`s Shuhada Foundation, Hafiz Ihtisham Ahmed, said when contacted by Dawn.

`Since these transfers, postings will take time, we have informed the police that we will move a contempt of court petition against them on Thursday over their failure to register the case against Musharraf,` he added.