As it became clear that at least one of the four Pakistan-origin terrorists who carried out the London suicide bombings had visited Pakistan, President Pervez Musharraf on Friday directed law-enforcement agencies to launch a countrywide crackdown on banned terror outfits and to remove all hate material by end of 2005.
In a meeting with top police officials, Musharraf ordered a campaign against collection of donations, display of arms and holding of gatherings by banned outfits as also the removal of all hate material from markets by December 2005, amid reports that militant groups had regrouped and resumed terror training camps.
Musharraf said the government would not tolerate extremism and would continue to combat the menace of terrorism with 'unflinching determination and force'.
He also reiterated the government's resolve not to allow banned militant organisations to re-surface using any other name, an official release said.
"You must enforce an end to publication and distribution of hate material including pamphlets, booklets, CDs. Writers, publishers and distributors of all such literature must be held accountable in accordance with law. You must ensure such material is not available in markets latest by December 2005," it quoted him as saying.
Musharraf's tough talk followed reports that militant camps were being reopened after a year's gap. Leaders of banned militant groups like the Lashkar-e-Tayiba have been addressing recent gatherings.
Musharraf's address came even as it emerged that Shehzad Tanweer, one of the four Pakistani-origin suicide bombers behind last Thursday's London blasts which killed 52 people, had visited Pakistan twice spending a total of four months there.
According to his uncle in Islamabad, Tanweer had attended an Islamic school or madrasa there.
Musharraf said he would review progress in the drive against extremism and judge the results on the basis of feedback from the people.
Officials from Afghanistan and the United States have been making allegations about resurgence and regrouping of the Taliban, which resulted in escalating attacks in the border provinces near Pakistan.
The release said Musharraf 'traced the fallout of regional events, particularly unrest and strife in Afghanistan' and said Pakistan has to redress repercussions on its society for the country's unhampered development.
Musharraf, however, also 'made it clear' that the actions of the government were not anti-religion.
"No government can be anti-religion. Pakistan undoubtedly is an ideological state and an Islamic Republic. We have to take it forward as a modern, dynamic, progressive, forward looking Islamic state," he said.
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