MIL/Agencies, Jul 6, 2007. Author:
Islamabad: July 06, 2007 (Friday) - Hardcore Islamic students, who are holed up in a mosque in Pakistan's capital on early Friday, have opened fire and shot several rockets at the security forces after the govt. refused to accept their surrender offer. The students denied they have any rocket launchers.
As per Information Minister Mohammed Ali Durrani, who told Geo News Channel:
"We have received these reports that they have started to use rocket launchers and explosive device against the security forces." He also said that one rocket damaged an armoured personnel carrier, but there was no casualty.
However, the hard-line deputy chief of the Lal Masjid, Abdul Rashid Ghazi rejected the allegations. He sad, "We do not have any rocket launchers," he said.
Heavy fire was being exchanged at the besieged mosque and the militants hurled several hand grenades, said an eyewitness.
Ghazi offered to surrender late Thursday in return for safe passage following heavy shelling by military and paramilitary troops.
"Those who give themselves in should not be arrested," Ghazi told a news channel as the security forces allowed the ambulances to escort dead and injured from the mosque to the hospitals during a short ceasefire.
The government dismissed the offer and ordered him to surrender unconditionally.
"The demand for safe passage cannot be accepted, he has to surrender unconditionally" Interior Minister Aftab Sherpao told the channel.
Authorities charged the hardcore elements in the mosque were using women and children as human shields.
"Ghazi is holding some women and children in a basement at the mosque," Interior Minister Aftab Ahmed Shepao said. But the allegation was denied by the radical cleric.
However, only a couple of dozens gave themselves in to the authorities, as compared to more than 1,000 surrendered on Thursday.
Members of the 12,000-strong security force, taking part in what has been named Operation Silence, fired several rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) rounds at the Lal Masjid, leaving the compound blanketed in smoke.
"Resistance from the militants is very strong. They are using sophisticated guns and hand grenades," a commander of the Rangers paramilitary force Colonel Ali told reporters on Thursday.
The militants, some of them believed to have been trained by the Taliban and Al Qaeda, tried to target one of the three gunship helicopters hovering over the compound housing the mosque.
