Islamabad, Pakistan: July 12, 2007 (Thursday) –The eight-day siege of Lal Masjid ended which left 73 militants, nine soldiers and radical cleric Abdul Rashid Ghazi dead. Is it a political win or loss for President Pervez Musharraf? The opinion is divided.

This incident has left a black mark on President Musharraf even though he has been praised by President Bush. The Bush administration considers him a strong ally in the war against terror. Pakistan sided with the United States in 2001 when it began its global war on terrorism in the wake of al-Qaida terrorist attacks in New York and Washington.

The confrontation could have been sorted out. Even before Abdul Rashid Ghazi died, he had given a briefing to Journalists that Pak govt. failed, they should have negotiated the matter before storming on the Lal Masjid.

This incident has irritated al-Qaida terrorists, who would try to strike against President Musharraf. Even in an Inernet Video-posted on Wednesday, the Egyptian born Ayman al-Zawahri said the Government’s raid on Lal-Masjid, can only be washed away by repentane or blood.

Zawahri also called on Muslims to take revenge against Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf. Zawahri. Zawahri is believed to be hiding out in Pakistan's remote frontier tribal areas where Lal Masjid's pro-taleban clerics had many supporters.

Pakistan's State Minister of Information Tariq Azim says the government is bracing for a possible militant backlash. "There will be some areas, like the border areas with Afghanistan in the frontier, we expect there will be some response," he said.