October 28, 2003	Tuesday	Ramazan 1, 1424

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ISLAMABAD, Oct 27: President Gen Pervez Musharraf on Monday directed Interior Minister Faisal Saleh Hayat to take effective steps to ensure peace and religious harmony during Ramazan, an interior ministry official said.

The official said that the president issued these directives during a meeting with the interior minister held at the Rawalpindi camp office.

The president, he said, stressed the need for improving law and order situation and maintaining strict vigilance to avoid any untoward incident during the holy month.

During the hour-long meeting, the president and the interior minister discussed matters concerning the country’s internal and external security.

The source said the president asked the interior minister to hold meetings with leaders of various sects, compelling them to avoid spreading of religious hatred.

The interior minister apprised the president about steps taken by the law enforcement agencies to maintain peace during Ramazan.

Mr Faisal said provinces had been directed to chalk out separate security plans besides being urged to use all available means and resources to check terrorism and sectarianism, the source said.

The president expressed his concern over the cross-border infiltration of the Pakistan-Afghanistan border and ordered the minister to tackle the problem on a priority basis, the source added.

The interior minister also briefed the president about efforts being made in this regard.

Earlier, talking to reporters at a local girls’ college, the interior minister said military operation in the tribal areas would continue until the elimination of terrorists belonging to the Al Qaeda network.

Referring to the murder of Maulana Azam Tariq, he said, law enforcement agencies had found vital leads in the case which would be made public in the near future.

About the law and order situation in Ramazan, he expressed the hope that the situation would remain peaceful and no untoward incident would occur in the country.

He said local governments and district administrations have been directed to liaise with mosques and imambargah committees to ensure religious harmony and the maintenance of the law and order situation.