ISLAMABAD, JULY 12, SPA -- Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz says the government had credible information about presence of people other than students and weapons inside the Lal Masjid-Jamia Hafsa Islamabad. He was briefing the Islamabad-based foreign media on government's perspective of what happened at Lal Masjid. The crisis was triggered when people from the complex started interfering in the normal life of the citizens and challenged writ of the government, he said. Aziz said every effort was made to impress upon the Lal Masjid and Jamia Hafsa administration to confine itself to religious education but it fell on deaf ears. Many people from different walks of life also tried to diffuse the situation but people from Jamia Hafsa and Lal Masjid indulged in more provocative activities, the prime minister said, adding that with increase in their activities, people started demanding action against them. It was then decided to put a siege around the place but even then the main objective of the government was to resolve the problem through negotiations rather than any police or military action, Aziz said. He said every attempt was also made to get as many people out of the complex safely as possible. He said the government induced inmates to come out through different tactics and its strategy was vindicated as about 1,300 people left the premises. About talks of the negotiating team with Lal Masjid administration, the prime minister said these broke down when Maulana Abdul Rashid Ghazi demanded safe passage for his foreign friends. The government made it clear that everyone will have to go through the law and if identified as militants the law would take its course, the prime minister said.--more www.spa.gov.sa/466830