Jan Burqa-clad female students from Jamia Hafsa, a school attached to the mosque, occupy a state-run children’s library in protest against plans to demolish mosques illegally built on government land in Islamabad.

Feb 13 Authorities agree to rebuild one demolished mosque in a bid to end the library stand-off. Religious Affairs Minister Ijaz-ul-Haq lays bricks for the new mosque.

March Male and female students begin Taliban-style anti-vice patrols targetting music and video shops in Islamabad bazaars and brothels.

March 27 Female students abduct three women they accuse of running a brothel, then later seize two policemen. All are released after the women supposedly repent and are shown to the media wearing burqas.

April 6 Mosque sets up Islamic “shariah” court. Mosque chief Abdul Aziz pledges “thousands” of suicide attacks if the government tries to shut it down.

April 9 Shariah court passes fatwa against Pakistani Tourism Minister Nilofar Bakhtiar after she is pictured hugging a parachuting instructor.

April 10 Government says it has blocked the mosque’s illegal website and radio station.

May 19 Students kidnap four policemen after the arrest of around a dozen mosque supporters. Two days later, students from a seminary linked to the Red Mosque kidnap another two policemen. All are eventually freed.

June 23 Dozens of students kidnap nine people, including six Chinese women and a Chinese man, from an acupuncture clinic, claiming it is a brothel. All are freed later.