| China voiced support on Thursday for a crackdown on Lal Masjid and Jamia Hafsa where armed militants have exchanged gunfire with police and rangers. “As a friendly neighbour of Pakistan, China backs Pakistan’s measures to safeguard social stability and economic development,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang told reporters. “We hope Pakistan will ... severely punish the terrorists attacking Chinese people and organisations,” Public Security Minister Zhou Yongkang said, without directly referring to the kidnappings. |