Tiny Minority of Extremists Alert: “the government could not afford the use of force against madrassa students since general elections were near.”
Lal Masjid Update: “Intelligence agencies oppose Lal Masjid crackdown,” from the Daily Times, :
ISLAMABAD: Ministers and intelligence bosses voiced opposition to a crackdown on students of Jamia Hafsa and Jamia Fareedia and the Lal Masjid administration for political and security reasons, at a meeting on Monday, Daily Times has learnt.
Interior Minister Aftab Sherpao told the meeting, chaired by President Gen Pervez Musharraf at Army House, that the government could not afford the use of force against madrassa students since general elections were near.
The intelligence bosses maintained that a crackdown would create a law and order situation in Islamabad and would strengthen extremists in the country.