Pakistan imposes curfew around Lal Masjid

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan government deployed army and imposed curfew around the Lal Masjid early on Wednesday where 12 people were killed and over 150 injured in gunbattles between militant madrassa students and security forces.

The government also asked the clerics and militant students of the mosque to surrender along with their weapons.

"The curfew has been imposed. Those who surrender will not be harmed. If anybody comes out with arms, he will face bullets," Minister of State for Interior Zaffar Iqbal Warraich said announcing the decision of a high level meeting presided over by President Pervez Musharraf.

Security forces and militant madrassa students exchanged gunfire throughout the day on Tuesday in a flare-up triggered by security deployment around the mosque that left 12 people dead and over 150 injured.

"The decisions of the government would be conveyed to the several hundred militants and the two radical clerics, Abdul Aziz and Abdul Rashid Ghazi," Warriach told a news conference early on Wednesday.

The clerics and militants should surrender along with their weapons but the security forces would not attack the mosque and launch operation on their own, Warraich said.

He said announcements would be made over loudspeakers telling people not to violate the curfew.

Although the curfew has been confined to the area around the mosque in central Islamabad, the government has asked people residing in other areas to stay indoors.

Minister of State for Information Tariq Aziz who was present at the press conference said 'the clerics and militants should surrender along with their weapons'.

Aziz declined to say what action would be taken if the clerics and militant students fail to surrender.

The Minister however has not announced any deadline for surrender nor announced any clear cut action against them.

"We want them to surrender immediately. They should surrender, vacate the Lal Masjid seminary and the public library. Action would be continued till they give up the illegally occupied land", he said.

All those who surrender will not be harmed but action against them would be taken against those who fail to surrender, he said.

"Hopefully this will not take long", he said adding that President Musharraf has given a go ahead for an operation.

He said the decision has been taken exhausting all options.

The decisions of the high-level meeting were announced after middle rung leaders of the Islamist alliance Mutahhdia Majlis Amal(MMA) held unsuccessful talks with the clerics to end the stand-off.

Police believe besides the clerics and the students, several heavily armed militants of banned Jaish-e-Muhammad were also holed up in the mosque which has been locked in a stand-off with the government for the last six months over the clerics' campaign to impose strict Islamic law in the capital.

Ahead of Wednesday's announcement, electricity to the entire area of the Lal Masjid was cut. This was followed by heavy slogan shouting against Musharraf from within the campus of the Masjid and heavy exchange of gunfire.

State run PTV said both sides exchanged heavy gun fire using light machine guns. Also it has been officially announced that Army contingents and special commandos were deployed in the area.

Warriach said military action against the mosque was put off to protect the lives of madrassa girls.

Media has been issued an advisory not go anywhere near the mosque.

The delay in launching an operation against the militants was attributed to the differences in the government between the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Q, (PML-Q) and the security forces.

PML-Q President Shujaat Hussain apparently opposed any military action saying that it would result in heavy blood shed and which would be counterproductive in the up coming polls.

But the intelligence officials and security forces apparently opted to go ahead with the operation.

As part of the arrangements for the operation all doctors have been asked to report for duties in the government hospitals in city and ambulances are being readied. Airport too was put on alert.