His attempt to escape in disguise of woman immediately triggered a barrage of criticism from media and other quarters. Wife of Maulana Abdul Aziz was also taken into custody. She was the in charge of a female seminary (Madrassa), which is adjoining to the mosque.
Maulana's younger brother and Naib Khateeb (Imam) of Lal Masjid, Maulana Abdul Rashid Ghazi has also offered a conditional surrender. Officials on early Thursday morning also confirmed it and said the surrender could take place at any time.
For the last six months, clerics at the mosque and students at seminaries - Jamia Hafsa and Faridia - had openly defied the government's writ by creating a state within state as they were raiding different places in the capital if they thought that some unIslamic or immoral activities were going on there and kidnapped people.
The latest was the abduction of Chinese females from a massage centre on adultery accusations. They have for months been carrying out a self-styled anti vice campaign to enforce Islamic Sharia in Pakistan.
The government last week decided to launch operation against the mosque administration and deployed thousands of paramilitary troops around the compound. On Tuesday, months long standoff exploded into violent clashes. A threat of retaliatory suicide bombings was the immediate reaction came from clerics. It looked things would get grim.
But security officials say they are now hopeful the episode will end without any further loss of lives. Death toll from two-day fierce gun battles rose to 21 on Wednesday. It might be higher as some unconfirmed reports said few dead bodies were lying inside the compound.
Paramilitary forces shelled the mosque with tear gas on Tuesday after one of Rangers personnel deployed outside was reportedly shot at by students. He died later. Students at two religious seminaries attached to Lal Masjid fought running battles with Rangers and vowed to resist.
But more than two thousands of them fled the compound on Wednesday. Many are still believed to be inside. The government extended at least five deadlines for surrender and let females and minors go but said adults would have to face prosecution. A tight cordon off the mosque complex and surrounding areas within about a kilometre radius remained intact throughout the day and night.
A curfew forced residents of adjacent sectors to stay indoors. Authorities allow paramilitary rangers to shoot anybody at sight. There was no official word when these extra-ordinary restrictions would be lifted. The government has registered murder and terrorism cases against clerics at the control of the Lal Masjid.
Maulana Abdul Aziz and Abdul Rashid Ghazi have allegedly been behind a string of kidnappings that their students have carried out in the capital recently.
Both Rashid and Aziz are sons of late Maulana Abdullah who was famous for his Taliban links in late 90s. The former chief cleric of Lal Masjid was shot dead few years back. Interior Minister Aftab Sherpao shortened his visit to Italy and rushed back home.
Hospital remained on high alert and continued to receive injured with bullet wounds. Some unconfirmed reports said three female students died inside the compound in the early morning fire exchange.
Parents of female students waited with agony for their daughters to come out. Some of them say they would never send girls back to religious school. The mosque and the two religious schools have recently been the focus of several confrontations with the authorities. Critics have attacked the government for failing to enforce its authority in the capital.
President Pervez Musharraf has previously said security forces cannot raid the mosque for fear of reprisal suicide attacks. It is thought the mosque has powerful friends in the security services, which has prevented the authorities from taking action. But the perception has changed now.