ISLAMABAD July 3 (Xinhua) -- The Pakistani government deployed more Rangers force near the mosque Lal Masjid in the capital Islamabad to tighten security around it, DAWN, a leading Pakistani newspaper reported on Tuesday.

    The government has called in two wings of Rangers force, each with 500 personnel, and lodged them in apartments near the mosque. The move has brought the total number of Rangers deployed around the mosque to 1,500, with 500 police commandos in support, according to DAWN.

    The Rangers have started patrolling and the police commandos are dispatched on all sides to keep an eye on the activities of Lal Masjid religious students. The forces will only take stern actions against the students if they take law in their own hands or attack any massage centers or CD shops, a security official was quoted by DAWN as saying.

    Well-informed sources said that Lal Masjid also reinforced security of its brigade, which is equipped with advanced weapons and wireless systems, and threatened to raid more massage centers in the city.

    In a raid of a Chinese couple's residence, Lal Masjid religious students abducted the couple, five of their women employees and two Pakistani men on the morning of June 23. Lal Masjid released all the nine hostages in the afternoon, citing the good relationship between China and Pakistan and assurance from the Pakistani authorities.