Pakistan Link : Musharraf orders crackdown on religious extremism

Musharraf orders crackdown on religious extremism

* Cautions soldiers from wearing uniforms publicly in NWFP
* Curfew in Sector G-6 to be lifted today

Staff Report | Saturday, July 14, 2007

ISLAMABAD: President General Pervez Musharraf on Friday directed all federal and provincial governments to crackdown on religious extremism and militancy in the country, reiterating the government’s determination to free the country from terrorism.

Chairing a high-level meeting to review law and order in the country, the president directed the provincial governments to ensure law and order by any means necessary, adding that the federal government would support them in this regard.

Referring to growing extremism in NWFP, he directed the provincial law enforcement and intelligence agencies to combat militancy by carrying out coordinated efforts in the tribal and settled areas of NWFP.

The president also approved a plan for the immediate deployment of paramilitary forces to the troubled Swat valley to crush the growing militancy in the area. He directed armed forces personnel not to wear their uniforms in public in the NWFP for fear of backlash from the Lal Masjid operation. He said the federal law enforcement agencies would execute and monitor all military operations in NWFP and FATA and the NWFP government would only assist them.

President Musharraf also directed all ministries concerned to provide the media with all relevant facts related to the Lal Masjid operation, including the number and names of those killed and injured. He appreciated the role played by Pakistan Muslim League (PML) President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain in trying to resolve the Lal Masjid issue peacefully.

The meeting’s participants also discussed suicide attacks in Swat and Miranshah and were briefed on the recently concluded Lal Masjid operation. They were informed that it was apparent from the layout of fortifications, deployment of weapons and other evidence collected from the Lal Masjid-Jamia Hafsa compound that hardened militants had planned its defence.

Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, PML President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, Interior Minister Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao, Information Minister Muhammad Ali Durrani, DG ISPR Major General Waheed Arshad and chiefs of law enforcement agencies attended the meeting.

Also on Friday, the government announced the lifting of the curfew in Sector G-6 from Saturday morning, but said that Lal Masjid and Jamia Hafsa would continue to be cordoned off for security reasons.

Addressing a press conference, Interior Minister Aftab Ahmed Sherpao told reporters that commandoes of Pakistan Army and Rangers had killed four to five suspected foreign militants during the 10-day-long military offensive. He said the number of foreigners killed in the mosque could be higher.

He said the names of those killed, injured and still missing would be posted on the government’s official website in line with the president’s directions. He said the Interior Ministry had also set up an information centre at Pakistan Sports Board for displaying the names.

Sherpao said 102 people, including 91 civilians, 10 army men and one Ranger had been killed in the Lal Masjid operation. Of these, only 17 had been identified, he added. He said the bodies of five girls and Rashid Ghazi’s mother had yet to be identified.

He said the Capital Development Authority had been directed to start the repair work on Lal Masjid immediately, adding that engineers were still not sure whether Jamia Hafsa could be restored or had to be demolished.

Agencies add: Addressing the meeting, the president said the government needed to take sweeping steps, otherwise tragedies like Lal Masjid would continue to take place.

He said, “We have to crush extremism and militants with full force as they are venom for our society.” He praised the professionalism of the armed forces and said they exercised extreme restraint, resulting in them suffering greater casualties than were necessary during the operation. He also directed immediate steps to be taken for the restoration of Lal Masjid.

Courtesy DailyTimes.com.pk