Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf [Images] has approved military crack down on madrassas promoting militancy, particularly in the country's restive northern areas bordering Afghanistan, a news report has said.

Musharraf gave the green signal to the military and security agencies to crack down on madrassas propagating militancy, particularly in the tribal areas and North West Frontier Province, at the National Security Council meeting held on June 4, a Daily Times report said, quoting unnamed sources.

Sources said Musharraf had also approved a fast track operation against militant commanders active in the tribal areas and NWFP.

The meeting unanimously decided to redeploy 46 platoons of the Frontier Constabulary from other provinces to the restive NWFP immediately, with the army providing artillery and other facilities to the elite security force for its operations, sources said.

Interior Minister Aftab Sherpao, Education Minister Lt-Gen (retd) Javed Ashraf Qazi, Religious Affairs Minister Ejazul Haq and NSC Secretary Tariq Aziz also attended the meeting.

The authorities have been involved in a stand-off with the baton-wielding students of Lal Masjid and Jamia Hafsa madrassa in central Islamabad that continues its hold on a public library building demanding the enforcement of Sharia in the country.

In the past, plans to storm the mosque and the madrassa adjacent to it were put off, fearing casualties. Some of the students inside were seen moving with weapons including machine guns. The clerics warned of bloodshed saying that suicide bombers would hit back if the mosque was attacked.