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Two-hour curfew relaxation announced around Pakistani hard-line mosque |
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16:57, July 05, 2007 |
Pakistani authorities Thursday announced a two-hour curfew relaxation starting from 1:30 p.m. ( GMT 0830) at Islamabad's G-6 area, where the hard-line Lal Masjid, or Red Mosque is located.
The government has given last warning to the personnel within the mosque to surrender but an army spokesman earlier confirmed that the armed forces deployed around the mosque have not moved in.
So far about 2,000 religious students have surrendered to the security forces as the fresh standoff between authorities and Lal Masjid generated by Tuesday's firing incident continued to third day Thursday.
Latest figure confirmed by officials showed that at least 16 people were killed and over 98 injured.
Firing exchange between religious students of Lal Masjid and security personnel broke out at noon July 3, as a group of students snatched arms and mobile sets from some policemen deployed near the mosque.
Pakistani authorities early on July 4 announced operation against the mosque and imposed curfew in the surrounding areas.
Calling upon the religious personnel and children and women within the Lal Masjid complex to surrender, the government has extended the deadline for operation for several times.
According to an interview aired earlier by state-run Pakistan Television, Head of the hard-line Lal Masjid, Maulana Abdul Aziz, who was arrested on Wednesday night, has asked the students inside the mosque complex either surrender or escape under the given situation.
Source: Xinhua
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