HYDERABAD, April 9: Former federal minister Javed Jabbar urged the government on Monday to put its foot down and address the problem of “religious encroachment” in Islamabad because the maintenance of law and order was the topmost priority of the government.

Speaking to Dawn in Jamshoro after attending a ground-breaking ceremony for an SOS Village Mr Jabbar said that Lal Masjid issue was not only a case of land encroachment but it was also a religious encroachment.

He criticised the fact that head of ruing party was holding negotiations with the administrators of Lal Masjid who had announced setting up Qazi Court in the mosque.

“To me it seems very unconvincing. The issue is not being handled properly,” he said. The maintenance of law and order should be the top priority of the government, he added.

He said that there was a huge gap between words and actions and the bigger the gap the graver would be the danger to the nation. “The nation couldn't take a positive direction unless we conform our words to our deeds,” he remarked.

He urged media, lawyers and the government to respond to the authority of Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) as far as present judicial crisis was concerned.