Search the Internet          Tips

Crackdown continues in Pak
and it's on TV now

K J M Varma in Islamabad

A night after Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf banned five terrorist and sectarian outfits, police on Sunday arrested their leaders and sealed offices of the groups in Lahore and Karachi in full glare of the state television.

Pakistan Television showed police officials sealing offices of the five outfits, including Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Tayiba.

It also showed footage of terrorist acts committed by sectarian outfits in Pakistan.

The state media did not put out any consolidated figure of those rounded up, but unofficial reports said over 400-900 militants were taken into custody in the swoops in different parts of the country which began well before Musharraf's address on Saturday night.

Pakistan did not officially react to the cautious welcome India gave to Musharraf's speech. However, the state TV, showing clippings of External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh's press conference in New Delhi prominently, said India reacted positively to the speech.

When sought his comment, Defence spokesman Maj. Gen. Rashid Qureshi told PTI that India had taken 24 hours to react to Musharraf's speech and Pakistan too needed time to carefully evaluate Singh's comments.

PTI

Complete Coverage: The Attack on Parliament

Back to top

Tell us what you think of this report