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Lal Masjid Students Free Chinese Women
Hard-line religious students from Lal Masjid yesterday released nine hostages, who had earlier been taken from an alleged brothel in Islamabad, sources said. Students from Lal Masjid and Jamia Hafsa female madrasa early in the day raided an acupuncture clinic, which they said was a brothel, and kidnapped the nine hostages, including six Chinese women.They were released after several hours. The foreign women were involved in prostitution in a massage center, the students said before their release. After the administration assured us they would close down the parlors, and in view of the Pakistan-China friendship, we are releasing all nine men and women, said Abdul Rashid Ghazi, deputy head of the mosque. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang confirmed that the Chinese hostages had been released. The abductions were the most provocative action by the students associated with the Lal Masjid in their self-styled anti-vice campaign. China is Pakistans most steadfast ally. The Pakistani government called the kidnappings from what it said was a health clinic shocking. Ghazi said seven of the nine, who were held at a religious school next to the Lal Masjid, were Chinese and two Pakistanis. Six of the Chinese were women, he said. We greatly respect Pakistan-China friendship but it doesnt mean that foreign women can come here and indulge in such vulgar activities, Ghazi said before their release. We had complaints that these women did massage for men but it was more than that. Chinas Xinhua news agency said Pakistan Interior Minister Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao had telephoned Chinas ambassador to apologize and assure him the hostages would be speedily released. Posted by: Fred 2007-06-24 |
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