Pakistan threatens to ban sectarian groups:
Mr Chief Executive and Interior Minister - Just threatening will not cut the butter. These groups, slaughtering in the name of Islam, respect force and will only understand force not ‘logic’. So force them into oblivion.
Jolted by the sectarian slaughter of 14 Shi’ites, Pakistan issued a strict warning to extremist groups on Thursday to shun violence or face a ban.
Interior Minister Moinuddin Haider said the government would sternly deal with sectarian groups, and if needed, use the army to ``crush’’ them.
Mr. Interior Minister: Good dialogue! Were you in any movies?
``From many years the sectarian parties are spreading poison among their followers and polluting their minds,‘’ Haider told a news conference.
``They take a child under care and poison his mind and he starts thinking the other (sects) are Kafirs (non-believers) and there will be recompense to kill them.‘’
Mr. Interior Minister: Excuse me! When I make that claim - I get questioned re: my faith and am labelled ‘anti-Islam’. Mr. Haider Shahib, What is your faith ?
Haider was speaking ahead of a key Shi’ite weekend anniversary of Muharram and two days after gunmen using grenades and automatic weapons killed 14 Shi’ite Moslems at a rural mosque, some 120 km (75 miles) south of Islamabad.
``We have given a warning to these parties in the past. After Muharram I have called a meeting of the sectarian parties leaders one by one,‘’ he said.
``All their madrassas (training institutes), inappropriate literature, weapons and their activities will definitely be stopped. If there is need to be stern, we will be stern, and if there is need we can declare them illegal after getting approval from the cabinet.‘’
Mr. Interior Minister: Mere soothing words for people who had their loved ones slaughtered in their mosque by fellow muslims. I presume, a month later everything said here is history. Tell you what, I shall check back with you on that.