ISLAMABAD, Aug 14: President Pervez Musharraf announced on Tuesday an immediate ban on two sectarian organizations - Lashkar-i-Jhangvi and Sipah-i-Muhammad. Activities of two others - Sipah-i-Sahaba and Tehrik-i-Jafaria - would be watched, he said.

"I warn the Sipah-i-Sahaba and Tehrik-i-Jafaria that I will not hesitate to ban them also," the president said while addressing Nazims, Naib Nazims and District Coordination Officers at the Convention Centre here. Nobody would be allowed to incite sectarian and ethnic hatred and, for that, a law, in an amended form, was being introduced today, President Musharraf said.

The law prescribed stringent punishment for terrorism, he said, adding that the chief justice had already issued instructions for the disposal of terrorism cases on priority basis, he said. Law enforcement agencies, including the police and rangers, had been instructed to carry out operations against sectarian and ethnic organizations, he added.

Speaking about deweaponization drive, the president said that targeted operations would be carried out for the recovery of illicit arms. He noted that in the initial phase of the campaign, the recovery rate was quite satisfactory and that over 125,000 arms had been recovered. But the rate of arms recovery, since then, had slowed down, he said, adding that efforts would be stepped up for the purpose through operations in selected localities.

The president said the display of arms had been brought under control to a great extent. The arms display in society had been damaging the country's image and scaring away domestic and foreign investors. He regretted that ethnic and sectarian extremism had caused immense damage to the country and projected it as an intolerant society. " We do not have a magic wand," but measures were being taken for the restructuring of the police force, he said.

The president referred to the murder of PSO Managing Director Shaukat Mirza and paid tribute to him. He said Mr Mirza was a dedicated and honest person and had been doing a tremendous job for the country. Mr Mirza, he added, had left "everything" to work for Pakistan.

The president pointed out that, as a part of police restructuring, a special prosecution service, under the control of provincial government, was being set up to ensure expeditious disposal of cases in courts.

TJP(S) chief condemns President's remarks
ISLAMABAD, Aug 14: Tehrik-i-Jafaria Pakistan (TJP) chief Allama Syed Sajid Naqvi said on Tuesday that it had been his party's persistent demand to ban the proven terrorist organizations.

Condemning the allegations levelled against his party by President Gen Pervez Musharraf, he said the TJP was a recognized party of the Shiite community.

He said categorizing the TJP with terrorist groups was an insult. "I did not expect this from someone as serious as Gen Pervez Musharrraf," he said. "If he (Musharraf) has evidence to support his allegations, he should bring it up," he added.

LAHORE: Banning parties no solution: SSP
LAHORE, Aug 14: The Sipah-i-Sahaba Pakistan on Tuesday announced that it had nothing to do with terrorism and considered it a danger to the security of the country and people, believing in the negotiated resolution of all issues.

Giving his reaction to the warning given to the party by President Gen Pervez Musharraf, SSP leader Maulana Mujibur Rehman Inqilabi said the resolution of the Shia-Sunni issue did not lay in bans, bloodshed, hanging or cruel punishments but in negotiations.

He said the SSP had during every government given proposals for the peaceful resolution of the issue. It was a patriotic party and was still sticking to its stand of the peaceful resolution of the issue.

Maulana Inqilabi said Gen Pervez Musharraf must constitute a tribunal under his supervision comprising the interior minister, all provincial home secretaries, chief justices of the supreme and high courts, leading ulema and journalists to hear proposals from the TJP and the SSP for the resolution of their differences.

He said the tribunal then should formulate a code of ethics in the light of the proposals by both the parties, give it a legal cover and then get it followed by all the concerned. The government must also introduce laws to protect the honour of Sahaba-i-Kiraam (RA), he said.

Maulana Inqilabi said sectarianism could also be controlled by banning the undiplomatic activities of a neighbouring country in Pakistan. He offered SSP's unconditional support to every government step to promote peace in the country. The party was also ready to talk to the government and the TJP for the elimination of sectarianism anywhere and at any platform.

TJP REACTION: Tehrik-i-Jafria Pakistan President Allama Sajid Naqvi said on Tuesday by giving a warning to the party the government had humiliated the 450 million followers of the Fiqah-i-Jafria in Pakistan.

In a statement issued here, he said the TJP was the only representative party of the Shia community in Pakistan. It was never involved in terrorism and giving it a warning was sheer injustice. He said in fact the honourable personage was given a wrong briefing and the warning was a part of the policy which was being followed by the agencies in the past.

Allama Sajid Naqvi said the two groups which were banned by the government on Tuesday did not exist, fearing that the police would now start harassing and humiliating TJP workers by labelling them as activists of the banned Sipah-i-Muhammad. If the government had any proof of TJP's involvement in terrorism, it must bring them to the fore and impose a ban on it, he said.

TJP slams Musharraf's warning
HYDERABAD, Aug 15: A spokesman for the Tehrik-i-Jafria Pakistan (TJP) has taken strong exception to President Pervez Musharraf's speech that the president delivered on the Independence Day on Tuesday, warning the party that he would not hesitate to ban it.

In a statement, issued here on Wednesday, the spokesman said the warning was an insult to the Shias, and added that the warning had been issued on the advice of "inefficient" advisors (to the president).

The Lashkar-i-Jhangvi was simply non-existent and "this fact is known to the agencies and the entire nation", he said,adding that the fact was that the Sipah-i-Sahaba Pakistan itself was involved in the bloodshed.

The TJP spokesman claimed that press reports were witness to the fact that all the terrorists that had been arrested belonged to the Sipah-i-Sahaba-i-Pakistan. He remarked that the Millat-i-Jafria would continue to work for the unity of the Muslims, the supremacy of Islam and the solidarity of the country.