ISLAMABAD, June 10: The government has decided to take action against banned religious organizations functioning with new names and forms in the country, a source in the interior ministry told Dawn on Wednesday.

The source said the decision in this respect was taken at a meeting presided by Interior Minister Makhdoom Syed Faisal Salah Hayat in the ministry.

The meeting was attended by acting interior secretary Abdul Rauf Chaudhry, high-ranking officials of the interior ministry and home secretaries, inspectors general of police, deputy inspectors general of police of four provinces and other officials.

The meeting decided that strict action will be taken against those leaders and organizations which stood proscribed but still violated the law of land by resurfacing in any other form or by any other name.

The meeting was told that some of the banned religious outfits were engaged in publication of magazines, pamphlets and leaflets and other material based on sectarian hatred and against national interest.

The meeting took a number of decisions to ensure law and order and curb terrorism in the country. It decided to revamp and upgrade police to improve its skills and capabilities to meet the challenges of modern techniques of terrorism.

The minister directed that the culprits be arrested and brought to task so that none of them went unpunished. He stressed the need for qualitative change in policing. "Things will not change unless and until such changes take place," he said.

KARACHI SITUATION: The interior minister on Thursday said the government was mobilizing all resources to neutralize miscreants bent upon creating lawlessness in the country, adds Nasir Iqbal.