Lal Masjid operation was planned for February 10

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf apparently approved a plan to storm the Lal Masjid complex on February 10 when burqa-clad girls had launched an aggressive moral policing here, but it was called off fearing the safety of nearly 6,000 female students inside.

"The General Headquarters (GHQ) had approved in early February the final plan, prepared by Interior Secretary Syed Kamal Shah, to storm the complex," 'The News' reported, quoting an official as saying.

But the plan, backed by all the three intelligence agencies, was blocked at the last moment as it had missed the most fundamental point, the rescue and safety of a large number of female students in the mosque complex.

At that time, the complex had 4,000 to 6,000 female students.

In fact, Musharraf was tipped off about this by one his presidential aides who requested for a high-level meeting to ponder over the issue, the official said.

"One of the participants in the meeting also pointed out that the plan didn't provide for the rescue and safety of thousands of girls and children inside Lal Masjid-Jamia Hafsa, (the girls' madrasa) and when the President, too, put the same question to Kamal Shah, he had no answer."

The plan was then put on hold and all agreed to do proper homework before carrying out the operation. "The President emphasised that the main consideration must be to minimise human loss," the official said.

One of the four major decisions taken in the meeting was to neutralise the capital's 18 militant madrasas which closely work in coordination with the Lal Masjid-Jamia Hafsa, he said.