Xinhua - English

ISLAMABAD, July 7 (Xinhua) -- Firing resumed Saturday during a one and half hour relaxation around the hard-line Lal Masjid, or Red Mosque, in Pakistani capital as the standoff between the mosque radicals and security personnel entered into a fifth day.

Besieged deputy chief of Lal Masjid, Maulana Abdul Rashid Ghaziand a number of hard-core armed students, declaring that they preferred martyrdom to surrender, remained defiant inside the mosque.

The security agencies kept shelling the besieged complex even during an hour-long heavy rain and storm in the wee hours of Saturday and the Lal Masjid inmates also resorted to intensive firing.

Main gate as well as the lobby of the mosque and seminary complex were completely demolished, local media reports said.

Pakistan Rangers have already taken control of Jamia Faridia, a religious school in E-7, another area of Islamabad, also affiliated to Lal Masjid, with mutual consent, the DAWN NEWS TV channel reported.

Unconfirmed reports said there were several blasts in E-7 and neighboring areas during Friday night.

Government officials called upon public efforts for urging the mosque and seminary administration to let innocent children and students held hostages inside the mosque go out of the premises of the complex.

But Maulana Abdul Rashid Ghazi said the male and female students, still inside the building, were not ready to leave despite requests by their parents and him, during an interview with private Geo News TV channel.

Dozens of Ulema, religious scholars, and parliamentarians from Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA), a party with influence among religious and tribal people, Friday were denied access to Lal Masjid for talks by the mosque's administration.

Troops surrounded the mosque on July 4, a day after tensions between Lal Masjid followers and security personnel deployed outside the mosque erupted into deadly street clashes.

At least 19 people have been killed and over 100 injured in the violence, according to officials.

TV: 1,221 people in Lal Masjid surrender to Pakistani gov't

ISLAMABAD, July 6 (Xinhua) -- A total of 1,221 people in Lal Masjid Mosque have come out and surrendered themselves to the Pakistani government, the private Pakistani DAWN NEWS TV channel reported Friday.

Briefing a news conference, Home Secretary Sayed Kamal Shah said the government hoped Maulana Abdul Rashid, deputy chief of Lal Masjid could let the women in the mosque come out, DAWN NEWS reported. Full story

1,200 Red Mosque students surrender to Pakistani authorities

Radical Muslim students sit after their surrender near Lal Masjid or Red Mosque in Islamabad July 4, 2007. More than 500 radical Muslim students surrendered at the besieged mosque in the Pakistani capital on Wednesday but thousands of militants remained inside a day after 11 people were killed in clashes.

Radical Muslim students sit after their surrender near Lal Masjid or Red Mosque in Islamabad July 4, 2007. More than 500 radical Muslim students surrendered at the besieged mosque in the Pakistani capital on Wednesday but thousands of militants remained inside a day after 11 people were killed in clashes. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)
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ISLAMABAD, July 5 (Xinhua) -- The deputy leader of hard-line Lal Masjid, or Red Mosque, Maulana Abdur Rashid Ghazi, has agreed to lay down arms and surrender, the private Geo TV reported Thursday. Full story