Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Muhammad Ali Durrani on Saturday said that no deadline has been fixed for the final operation against Lal Masjid/Jamia Hafsa administration.
"The main hurdle in the operation is the precious lives of the innocent children and girl students, who have been taken hostage inside the Jamia Hafsa," he told journalists after inspecting the surrendering points and the media camp situated near the Lal Masjid/Jamia Hafsa. "The government shares the concerns and worries of the parents of the abducted students," he added.
The minister took note of the difficulties being faced by the media personnel who are covering the Lal Masjid operation. The minister also provided a proper place for the journalists after consultation with them. He also directed the authorities to provide maximum facilities to the journalists so they could better discharge their professional duties.
Durrani said that the militants present inside the Jamia Hafsa are equipped with the latest weapons including Kalashnikovs, hand-grenades, mines, etc and due to the circumstances, saving the lives of the innocent students is the priority for the government authorities.
"Conducting an operation against the militants is no problem for the law enforcement authoritarians; the present leadership is kind-hearted and we are taking all possible measures to save the lives of the innocent," he said.
However, the minister maintained that the government has decided that lawlessness would not be tolerated at any cost in the federal capital. "The government has devised such a strategy which would ensure a window of opportunity for maximum children and girls to save their lives. The students, which have escaped from Jamia Masjid have told that the militants have put children and girls under siege in different rooms and basement which is deplorable," he said.
The minister warned the militants to lay down their arms and surrender to the law enforcement agencies as this would save their lives. Durrani said that the government initiatives had the full backing of the people of Pakistan and the media on Lal Masjid issue.
"The government has the moral authority to launch an offensive against the Lal Masjid authorities," he said and added, "This is very unfortunate that not only the students are not being allowed to come out of the Lal Masjid premises but also they are firing at the parents of the students who want to take away their loved ones."
The government has observed maximum restraint regarding the Lal Masjid clerics and even now all efforts are aimed at saving the lives of the innocent children and girls.
Mentioning the stubbornness by the Lal Masjid administration, the minister said that an MMA delegation and even Bilquees Eidhi contacted the government and sought an opportunity to play a role in saving the lives of the students.
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