Islamabad, April 07: Virtually ruling out any immediate
crackdown against a radical cleric who is spearheading a drive
to impose Islamic law here, President Pervez Musharraf Saturday
said the government wanted to resolve the issue "amicably".
"(I am) praying to God to give them wisdom not to carry
their threats.... The government wants to resolve the issue
amicably," the General said at a public meeting in Texila near
here while referring to Maulana Abdul Aziz of Lal Masjid who
announced setting up of a parallel Islamic court yesterday.
Musharraf's statement came even as the interior ministry
said it had decided to take legal action against Aziz for
challenging the writ of the government.
Aziz is also backing Taliban-style moral policing by
madrassa students in the capital and has given one month
deadline to music and video stores to shut shop. Interior
Minister Aftab Ahmed Sherpao said the government is exercising
restraint because of the sensitive nature of the matter.
Referring to the threat by the cleric to carry out
suicide attacks in case the government ordered crackdown
against them, Musharraf said in view of the prevailing
situation he was trying "to act with prudence".
He said Pakistan "is citadel of Islam" and its
Constitution guarantees that no law would be enacted contrary
to Islamic injunctions.
In a related development, the government has blocked
the website of the Lal Masjid. Earlier, it had banned an fm
radio transmission from the mosque being used for propaganda
purpose.
Bureau Report
First Published: Saturday, April 07, 2007, 00:00