The federal government has declared a red alert in the country, particularly in the NWFP, for fear of a backlash following the operation against Lal Masjid and Jamia Hafsa, sources in the Interior Ministry told Daily Times on Tuesday. The sources said that a crackdown on the Tehreek Nifaz-e-Shariah Muhammadi (TNSM) was on the cards since the banned organisation was involved in terrorist activities in Swat Valley, particularly attacks on military convoys.
The sources said that militants and students of various madrassas took to the streets in several parts of the NWFP and the tribal areas on Tuesday to protest against the Lal Masjid operation. The protesters stormed the offices of the political agents of Khyber and Mohmand (Upper) agencies and reportedly manhandled the political agents and tried to take them away. The Interior Ministry has directed the NWFP police to tighten security for senior government officials and religious personalities.
The sources said that the Interior Ministry had directed all provincial home departments to conduct siege and search operations against suspected militants who may carry out suicide attacks in retaliation to the Lal Masjid operation. The NWFP police has beefed up security around mosques, madrassas, imambargahs and foreign missions and police patrolling has been increased on all major highways.
Meanwhile, the sources said that some workers of international humanitarian organisations carrying out relief activities in Swat, Batagram and Balakot had been either beaten up or kidnapped by madrassa students. They said that TNSM activists backed by Maulana Fazlullah may be involved in the attack.
In Batagram, hundreds of gun-wielding madrassa students and locals blocked the Karakoram Highway and fired in the air to protest against the Lal Masjid operation.